Fall from Grace
by Tiamat19
Summary: A legendary hero has been murdered in cold blood.  The Chaotix Agency will have to take on their biggest case yet as they use their detective work to figure out who did the deed, and why.  Chapter 8 is up.
1. Prologue

What the story is about:

Espio, Charmy, Mighty, and Vector have been best friends since childhood. Now they have formed a detective agency, dedicated to solving crimes and mysteries. It was a great success. Things were running smoothly until one day, a legendary hero was murdered in cold blood. News of this grisly incident had sent shockwaves throughout Station Square. A tragedy, to say the least. Now, the Chaotix will have to solve their biggest case yet. They must use their detective skills to investigate the city, weave through the web of deceit, dodge danger, and stay alive long enough to ultimately uncover the truth of who did the deed, and why. And stuff.

**Fall from Grace**

**Prologue**

_Ah…Station Square…two sides of a coin. During the day, it's quite a nice place to live in. The people get along fine. Just about everyone in any given neighborhood knew each other. Children happily played after a routine day at school. Adults had their nine to fives. There was always something to do in this city, whether it would be going to the local theater to catch a flick, dropping by the ice cream shop for a quick treat, mellow out at the local bar, or going for a stroll in the park, you are in the company of a friendly community. I like it. It's real nice. It seems that nothing could go wrong here…_

_And then night comes._

_The darkness beckons. Police sirens wail through the streets, alerting the citizens that yet another crime has been committed. Thieves, murderers, drug dealers, the mob…all the little hoodlums come out of the woodwork when the sun goes out. Folks are smart to stay in their houses. It ain't safe out there. One wrong move and you're likely to be pushin' up daisies. Best advice to you? Just stay inside and hope you'll make daylight._

_Though now that I think about it, just about any city is like that. The police really have their work cut out for them. You gotta respect the cops, whether you like 'em or not. They have one of the most dangerous jobs out there, yet they have one of the lowest salaries. But as the saying goes, "it's a dirty job, but somebody's gotta do it."_

_My job isn't a picnic either, but it's how I make my living. _

_I guess this is where I come in. Name's Espio. Espio the Chameleon. I'm a private detective. My colleagues and I run an agency on the corner of 3__rd__ and Baker, on the second floor. We call ourselves the Chaotix Agency, a team of detectives. We've been doing this gig for about three years now. Vector, Mighty, and Charmy have been good friends of mine for as long as I can remember. We established the Agency shortly after the Ark incident. Knuckles had inspired us to go on our own and dedicate our lives to helping people in need (well…for a small fee of course…). _

_We each have our jobs within the agency, to keep it running like a well-oiled machine. My role in this group is the field scout. It's simple enough. Go out in the field and gather information using various means. It's a cakewalk for someone so highly trained in the ninjitsu arts as myself. I can take two pictures of you and record your license plate number in as quick as a sneeze._

_Charmy is the youngest in our organization, and doesn't do nearly as much investigating as the other members. He mostly stays here at the office, keeping things organized and taking calls whenever the others aren't present. Charmy is a good kid, shows a lot of promise. He's a bundle of energy and very enthusiastic…maybe too enthusiastic. He certainly knows how to brighten the mood, in both good and bad ways._

_Vector is one diligent crocodile, never afraid of tackling the newest assignment that comes our way. He's our interrogator. His job is to, you guessed it, interrogate. Make those pigs squeal. Spill their guts. As if you couldn't tell by the giant headphones, he's the music lover of our group. "I can't function without music." He would always say. "It's my passion, man." Whether the big lug is working, playing, sleeping, eating, you can bet there's music banging those eardrums of his. I'll never understand about this "hippity-hop" or "pip-pop" or whatever he calls it that he likes to listen to so much, but hey, whatever makes him happy._

_Since its inception, the Chaotix Agency has closed many a case throughout the years, but our biggest mystery has yet to be solved. It still eludes us to this day. And that mystery is Mighty. He stopped showing up at the agency about a year ago, when we were at our prime. There wasn't as much as an utter. No note, no phone call, no word. Nothing. He vanished without a trace. We contacted everyone we knew including the police, Sonic, Tails, Rouge, the President, G.U.N., for any information they can find about him, any information at all. No luck. We tried tracking him down using our own detective work, but alas…still nothing. His disappearance raised many questions. Was he kidnapped? Did he head for greener pastures? Was there unfinished business he had to take care of? Is he even alive? To this day, we don't know. We're not any closer to finding him since a year ago. Everyday we think about him. All the time we hope that one day; that one armadillo will step through our front door…and then we'll become a full-fledged team again. Until then, the Chaotix Agency will operate as normal. But it sure hasn't been the same._

_We get the usual cases around here from our clients. It's mostly the small stuff. Find this, spy that. Our most popular are these middle-aged dames…I tell ya, these broads are a paranoid bunch. Nine times out of ten they're suspecting that their hubbies are cheating on them. And well...nine times out of ten they're right. It's too easy to catch them in the act, a bit too easy I'd say. All you need is patience and a camera. Not that I'm complaining, it's quick and easy money._

_But enough yapping about us and our agency. It's 7:23 pm on a cool Friday night, and things are starting to wind down here. Hmm? Hold on. I hear someone coming up the stairs right at this moment. Sounds like another potential client…_

_**Chapter 1 is next…**_


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 – The Case of the Haunting**

_The silhouette of a figure appeared behind the blinds of our front door. As much as I wanted the person to be Mighty, I knew in the back of my mind that it was very unlikely. Vector sat at the desk while Charmy and I stood patiently, as our door slowly creaked open._

"Oh hello there. Is this the…Mayaotix Agency?"

"Um…we're the CHAOTIX Agency, if that's what you meant." Charmy replied.

"Ah yes…that's it. Sorry."

_It wasn't him. It was a very elderly woman, a mole. She looked to be in her eighties judging by her face and grayed-out fur. The old lady shuffled toward the desk with her walking cane. Being the gentleman thing to do, I pulled out a chair for her to sit on._

"Thank you, young lady." she said with a sweet grandmotherly grin, making herself get comfortable.

"I'm a sir, and it's no problem at all." Espio bowed and grinned back.

"My apologies, dearie. I'm afraid my eyes and ears aren't what they're used to be."

Vector couldn't help but chuckle. "Heh heh…she called you a lady."

"Quiet, you."

The crocodile sat up in his chair and turned down his headphones. "Hello madam. What's your name?"

"I'm Isabella, and I'm hoping you guys could help me out."

"But of course." The crocodile nodded. "What can the Chaotix Agency do for you?"

"Well…I know you lads may think this sounds quite silly, but I think my apartment is…haunted."

"…Haunted?" Charmy asked. He flew closer and stood beside the lady's wooden chair. "Really?"

Vector rubbed his chin. "Uh-huh. What makes you think your apartment is haunted, Isabella?"

"I've been hearing these strange noises lately, and it only happens at night. During the day, it's fine. I don't hear a thing. But when it's nighttime, the noises come back."

"These noises only happen at night?"

"Yes."

"Can you describe these noises?"

"It's like a…mmm….let's see…it's like a mix….between….a growl and a moan….something like that…I can't really describe it. It's pretty frightening."

"A mix between a growl and a moan…alright. When did these noises start?"

"…I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"

"When did these noises start?"

"About a week ago. Last…Friday, I think."

"Did anything significant happen recently before the disturbance?"

"Oy…yeah…now that you mention it…my cat…my dear cat…Ozzy…was…was…"

"Your cat Ozzy?"

"Yeah…. My ten year old orange tabby. He was my sweet baby…I miss him deeply. He was dead one day before the disturbances started."

"How did he die?"

"I'm not really sure. I found him…dead on the kitchen floor when I came home from the grocery store. He wasn't moving. I have no idea what happened. I buried him in the yard behind my apartment. It was very sad."

"I'm…sorry about your cat."

"It's okay, dear. He's in a better place now. I'm thinking maybe the spirit of my cat is haunting my apartment."

"I see. Has anyone else been hearing these noises? Like your neighbors or friends?"

"Hmm? I'm sorry?"

"Has anyone else been hearing these noises? Like your neighbors or friends?"

"Err…several people complained to the landlord, but he couldn't find the problem either. I know a lot of tenants moved out because of it. I'm staying at a hotel until the noises stop. I can't sleep at night. That's why I'm here. I'm hoping you boys can find what's causing it and put a stop to it."

"We'll take care of it. Don't you worry, ma'am." Espio said as he leaned against the wall, arms crossed.

"Yeah, Isa." Vector agreed. "We'll get to the bottom of this."

"I hope you can, boys."

"Where's your apartment located?"

"The address is 231 Parsons Street. Room 279."

"231 Parsons Street. Yo Charms, you wanna type it in?"

"Sure! I'll be glad to." 

Vector moved aside as the young bee immediately fluttered to the desk's computer. The wallpaper theme was that of the original four members of the Chaotix, all doing poses. It was a photo taken from Espio's camera back in the early days of the agency. On the left side, Vector had his peace sign. Charmy stood on his shoulder, cheering with both fists raised. On the right, Espio looked the calmest in the picture, hands down by his side and donning a slight smirk. Mighty was in the center, looking right at the camera. He was smiling, which was rare for him. He had his arms around the group, keeping them together. Such carefree days back then…

Charmy clicked on the "map" icon and an overhead view of Station Square in its entirety appeared. He quickly typed the address into the search bar.

"There it is you guys." The bee pointed at the screen. Vector and Espio closed in to get a peek.

An orange dot appeared on the map, showing its location. It was eight blocks away, southwest from their position.

"Heh. It's not too far." Espio muttered.

Charmy clicked on the "Print" icon, and the printer came to life with a whirr and a click. In less than thirty seconds, a sheet of paper slipped from the machine. The chameleon nabbed the map and looked at it, still warm in his grasp.

Espio's eyes were now on the client. "Alright, Ms. Isabella. You hired us to investigate and neutralize strange noises in your apartment on 231 Parsons Street. Room 279. These noises only happen at night. Is that correct?"

"Yes."

"Okay. I've calculated a proper fee for this type of job. The cost will be one-hundred twenty dollars, due before we go any further. We accept cash or credit card. We will contact you upon completion of the assignment. If we do not complete the assignment within three hours of payment, you will receive an eighty percent refund. We keep twenty percent for labor. Is that clear?"

"Yes."

"Good. Will you be paying in cash or credit card?"

"What?"

"Will you be paying in cash or credit card?"

"I have cash."

Isabella fished in her little beige purse. She brought out six twenty-dollar bills. "Here you go."

The ninja relieved the woman of her money and secured it in a little steel lockbox, placed in the desk drawer. He gave her back the change, a ten-dollar bill.

"Thank you very much, Mister…?"

"Just Espio will be fine. Can you give us your phone number, so that we can contact you when the job is done?"

"555-3127. It's the number to the Guinevere Hotel in the northwest, in Station Square's Quincy District. I'm in Room 245."

"Okay, got it. You may return to your hotel. Just sit back and we'll call you."

"Oh…hold on a second, dearies. I almost forgot…"

"Hmm?"

Isabella reached into her purse and scrambled for a bit, before pulling something back out. "Here you go. It's the key to my apartment. Room 279…oop!"

She accidentally dropped the key, landing on the floor in plain sight in front of her. The old lady bent down and tried reaching around, but couldn't find it.

The crocodile picked up the item for her. "It's okay Isa. I got it. We'll keep it safe." He tucked it away.

"Thank you."

The old mole slowly but surely got back on her unsteady two feet, with help from her cane. She shuffled toward the door, in which Charmy gladly flew over and opened for her.

"Here ya go, ma'am! Have a safe night, okay?"

"You too. Thanks sweetie. I'll be at the hotel, watching my stories."

The crocodile readjusted his headphones before he walked around to the front of the desk. "Looks like the Chaotix is on the case. Charms, you stay here. Cool?"

"Coooool."

"So, we ready to roll Espy?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

Espio readied his usual gear of smoke bombs, ninja stars, and an edge knife. Sure it might be excessive for an investigating assignment, but it never hurts to be precautious. All Vector needed was his headphones.

"Contact us if you're in trouble." Vector told him. He checked his cell phone, it was still fully charged.

"Gotcha."

The two waved the bee goodbye before leaving the office, down the flight of stairs and out the door.

_The nights were becoming cooler. Summer was ending soon. I can see more and more long-sleeve clothes being worn. The night sky had a few clouds here and there, crescent moon partially shining behind one of them. With Vector at my side, we began to walk toward our destination._

_Station Square was as bustling as ever. The colorful patrons, the congested traffic, the street vendors, countless lights brightening the city like a Christmas tree. Never one second of quiet around here. The air was rife with the exhaust fumes of cars and the numerous eateries around the blocks. You get used to it after a while._

_Vector was boppin' his head and moving his hands to his headphones as usual. He was lip-syncing some hip-hoppy tune. Groovin' without a care in the world. I, of course, ignore him. _

_What I can't ignore is the hunger starting to form in my stomach. I haven't eaten in quite a while. And what perfect timing. There's a hot dog stand right across the street. Vector noticed it too._

"Hey Espy. Let's grab a quick bite on the way. I'm starvin'!"

"…Sure."

_The aroma of food only became stronger as we approached the stand. We waited a few moments for the Walk signal to appear before crossing the street. The porcupine vendor was all smiles behind that thick mustache._

_Ahh…how I wanted to stuff my face with a super-size dog with the works. Oven-roasted frank, ketchup, mustard, relish, onions, all on a fresh toasted bun. Mmm. I can feel my mouth just beginning to water. If this was back in my pre-ninjitsu days, I would've wolfed down one or two of those without another thought. This reminded me of the time back when we had our first anniversary party, to celebrate the first year since the Chaotix Agency opened. Vector and Mighty decided to have a hotdog-eating contest. Whoever ate the most dogs in 3 minutes was declared the Ultimate Hotdog Meister of the Universe. Silly title yes, but it was a title they both would fight for. Charmy timed the event while the two chowed down. Mighty won by a hair, beating Vector by one dog. Surprised me really, since Vector was considerably larger than him. I thought about entering the contest, but now that I've dedicated my life to the way of the ninja, that's pretty much out of the question. I can't eat too much. I have to eat light to remain quick and agile, to remain focused. A ninja with a full stomach is not a ninja. Vector, on the other hand, had absolutely no qualms about his eating habits._

The reptile closed his eyes and he inhaled deep, savoring the scent of hot, delicious sustenance. "Ahhhhh…man, man, MAN!"

"Hey there big fella, you look hungry! What can I do you for?"

"Three super-size dogs with the works, and a large soda!"

"Sure thing buddy. That'll be $9.50."

"What'd you want Espy? It's my treat."

"…I'll just have a soft pretzel…and a small lemonade."

"A soft pretzel? And a small lemonade? What are you, a girl?"

"Shut up."

"Alright. Your total is $12.00."

Vector paid the man, and in a couple of minutes their food was prepared, all wrapped in aluminum foil. Shortly after unwrapping his first dog, he took one huge bite. Half of it was already gone.

He chewed happily, while putting the other half in front of Espio's face. "You gotta have a bite of this, man. It's soooooo goooood….mmm!"

The chameleon waved it away. "No thanks. And would you please not talk to me with food in your mouth? I don't need your leftovers on my face."

"Awright awright…oh well…your loss!" Vector tossed the other half in the air and effortlessly caught it in his big mouth. "Ahh…that hits the spot."

The two had consumed their food and drink well before reaching 231 Parsons Street, a large, brick, three-floor apartment complex. The windows showed that most of the rooms had their lights off.

They entered through the front door. The interior had an air of sterility. The walls were white and bland, fluorescent lights lined the ceiling, and the place smelled of cleaning products. They could hear the constant hum of a nearby air conditioner.

"What room did she say again? Room 279 right?" Vector asked.

"Yeah." Espio checked the nearby map posted on the wall. "It's on the third floor, east side hallway."

"Cool. Let's move."

They hoofed it up two flights of stairs and down the hall, and then made a right at the T intersection. There was the room they were looking for, last one down the hall.

"Here we are Espy. 279."

"You got the key, right?"

"Yeah, hold on."

Vector took out the key from inside his glove and easily opened the door. "And voila!"

They entered the room and Espio closed the door behind them. It was dark inside. All they could see was the city lights through the large window across the room. Espio's eyes quickly adapted to the darkness, and he flipped the light switch on the wall.

The room illuminated, and a tiny mouse zoomed from the kitchen to under the television stand, which startled Vector so much that he jumped into Espio's arms.

"GAH!"

The crocodile looked at him with embarrassment all over his face. The chameleon shot back with a very, very disturbed look. The two looked like a newly married couple on their way to a honeymoon. This would've been a candid camera moment for sure.

"Err…yeah. Umm…my bad."

"Now who's the girl?"

"Yeah yeah…"

Vector quickly composed himself and tried to pretend it didn't happen. The apartment was spacious though. There was a large living room and kitchen in the center. Bedroom and bathroom was to the right side. Another bedroom and bathroom was to the left side.

Vector looked around. "Niiiice place…"

"Not too shabby at all." Espio said.

They weren't even in the room for twenty seconds before there was a strange noise…

"_ooohhhohhhourrrrgggggoooo…"_

Espio was instantly still and his eyes darted about. "Vector, did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"That noise. That strange noise Isabella was talking about. You can barely hear it, but it's there."

"…I don't hear anything."

"Try turning off your headphones, genius."

"Okay..."

"_ooohhhohhhourrrrgggggooo…"_

"There it is again…Vector, you hear it now?"

"Urr…no."

"I thought I told you to turn off those headphones."

"…They are off."

"No they're not. I can still hear music coming from them."

"Aw c'mon Espy…you know I gotta have my tunes."

"Vector, we've had this conversation a million times. There are some cases that require hearing in order to solve it. This is one of them."

"How about if I turn down the volume just enough so I can still hear outside noise?"

"Turn it off."

"Okay. Look. I'll turn the volume down to its minimum level. There. Better?"

"Turn it off."

"But…"

"I will not tell you again, Vector Crocodile."

"…Fine."

With a simple click, he turned off the 'phones. Whenever Espio said "I will not tell you again" followed by your full name, Vector knew he was about to enter the danger zone. He did not want to go there. Not ever again.

"…Now." Espio crossed his arms. "We will separate and search each side of the apartment. You search the left side. I'll search the right side. Take note of any clues you find. We'll figure out what this noise is and neutralize it. Got it?"

"Got it. Let's go."

The two separated. Vector began searching the living room. For a large crocodile he was surprisingly quiet as he slinked around, looking under tables and couches, digging between the cushions, under the rug, curtains, and windows. So far, there was nothing.

Vector explored the bathroom next. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Toilet was acceptably clean, the sink was spotless, the bathtub had a ring of grime, and the medicine cabinet contained a couple of empty prescription bottles.

"Hmm…nothin' here either."

"_ooohhhooohhhourrrrgggghhhh…"_

"Vector, did you hear that?" Espio asked from the kitchen.

"Yeah man, that was real spooky. What kind of freak thing makes that noise?"

"That's what we're trying to find out."

"It sounded like it came from the bedroom, right next to me."

"Yeah. It did sound like it came from there… Did you check the bathroom?"

"Yeah, nothing there. I'm gonna check this bedroom."

"Alright."

As the crocodile proceeded to the left side bedroom, Espio was scanning the kitchen bit by bit. His eyes and hands were efficient in searching the surroundings. Microwave looked normal, the stove had a bit of rust, the refrigerator and freezer were adequately stocked, and the sink had a single dirty dish in it.

"Now what do we have here…"

There were several glass jars full of spices sitting on the counter. Espio had noticed something odd about one of them. He leaned in to get a better look.

"(This jar has a small crack in it…huh.)"

Upon closer inspection, he found something else.

"(A couple strands of orange hair…stuck in that crack…)"

"HEY ESPY! CHECK THIS OUT!" Vector yelled from the bedroom.

Espio met up with Vector on the double. "Did you find something?"

"Yeah, look what I found in the closet."

"What is it?"

In the closet was several cat toys strewn about. Plushies, a yarn ball, scratching post, and a little bed were among the feline-related items inside.

"I'm guessing this was Ozzy's favorite place." Espio commented.

"Looks…and smells like it. But the strange thing is that when I found this closet, the light was already on."

"Interesting."

"_ooohhhooohhhourrrrgggghhhh…"_

The two turned heads upon hearing that ever unusual sound.

Espio figured out the source of the noise. "It sounded like it came from the other side of the apartment."

"I thought you said it came from THIS side the first time?"

"Well, now it moved to the other side."

"How could something that can make that noise move from one side of the apartment to the other without us seeing it?"

"You tell me."

"I'm starting to think this place really is haunted."

"Get your head together, Vector. Let's just move to the other side and check there."

Espio and Vector went down the narrow hall to the apartment's right side bedroom. The ninja flipped on the light and they began searching. It looked more like a storage room than a bedroom. There was no bed. Cardboard boxes of knick knacks and other miscellaneous items were stacked all around. The two scrounged and scraped through the boxes.

"Find anything, Vector?" he asked, rummaging through a box of old novels.

"Naw. You?"

"_ooohhhooohhhourrrrgggghhhh…"_

That awful sound came once more. Vector just stood there motionless, trying to get a bearing of where it's coming from. It took a few moments, but it appeared Espio might've determined the location.

"Of course!" He pointed up. "It's coming from up there. It's coming from the roof."

"The roof?"

"Yeah. It definitely came from up there. I'm sure of it. No wonder it kept changing location without us seeing it. It's not even in here."

Espio went back to the living room and opened the window. He climbed onto the sill.

"Whoa whoa…what're you doing?"

"I'm going to the roof. Stay here, I'll be back."

"Alright man. You be careful."

"Always."

The ninja stood on the edge of the window, his back facing the cool night air. He jumped and latched himself to the brick wall with all fours. He climbed up the building with ease. Espio hoisted himself onto the roof. He slowly slipped his edge knife from its sheath and held it horizontally, keeping steady.

"(Okay…where are you…)" he thought.

He began to walk along the roof, eyes constantly scanning. There was quite a view of the city from up from there, but he didn't have the time to enjoy it.

"GRAOWOWRGHGHHHHH!"

"!!"

The noise was much louder and menacing this time, and he aimed his knife toward it.

"Who's there? Show yourself!"

He finally caught a glimpse of the culprit running across the darkness, some kind of four-legged figure with wildly messy hair.

"(What…)" 

Espio began chasing it. The bugger was quick, whatever it was. It darted back and forth erratically, but the chameleon kept up with its movements. His footsteps remained light, as not to disturb the tenants down below.

"GRAWOWOWRRRAHGGHH…"

Espio waited for the perfect time, and then he dove toward the creature, grabbed it with both hands, performed a somersault and landed back on his feet. It was now in his arms. The thing began having a fit, growling and hissing as it tried to get away. The chameleon was prepared for the situation. He placed two fingers on a certain point on its neck. The more pressure he applied, the more it calmed down.

"Grrgrrr…."

Espio carried the subject back down into Room 279, where Vector was waiting.

"You found it?!"

"Yeah. Look at the thing."

"That what's been making those sounds?"

"Yep."

It turned out that the source of the mystery was a cat, horribly caked with mud and dirt. It was positively filthy. The feline choked and coughed, making that noise yet again. Several specks of dirt came flying out of its mouth.

Espio carried the cat to the kitchen. "I'm going to give it a bath."

"Yeah. Good idea."

Using some dish soap, a sponge, and running water, he began scrubbing the cat clean from head to paws. There was a quite a bump on its head, looked like it hurt. He was gentle with it, of course. The feline seemed to be happier as more dirt came off his fur, his coat beginning to show. It coughed several times during the bath, and Espio kept patting its back. Eventually, a big glob of mud came out of its throat, landing in the sink with a thud. Much better. Vector peeked over the ninja's shoulder and couldn't resist how cute it was. He petted the cat on the head and scratched its ears. It let out a tiny mew.

After ten minutes of scrubbing and drying, it was as good as new. The cat certainly looked a lot better and content as it lay on the couch.

"Hold on a sec Espy. Isn't this Isabella's cat, Ozzy?"

"I thought she said he was dead."

"Hold on."

Vector checked the cat's collar. There it was right there, plain as day. The name 'Ozzy' was imprinted in cursive on the tag.

"No doubt about it. This is Ozzy, says so on the collar. Male, orange tabby cat like she said. Still alive."

"That's odd."

"Why would she lie about her cat's death?"

"Hold on…let me think." Espio contemplated for a few minutes, rubbing his chin in thought. He slowly began to put the pieces together. "…I don't think she lied. Not intentionally anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember when she said she buried Ozzy?"

"Yeah."

"And when I found him, he was covered in dirt. Right?"

"Hold up…you don't mean…she buried her cat alive? That's freakin' cruel, man. Why would she do that?"

"Isabella says she found him dead on the kitchen floor. Maybe she THOUGHT he was dead and buried him."

"THOUGHT he was dead? How would that happen?"

"Well…Isabella was pretty senile. Remember how she kept asking you to repeat your questions back at the agency? Not to mention she has mistaken me for a girl. And she called us the Mayaotix Agency. She also dropped her keys and couldn't find them when they were right in front of her. She also said her eyes and ears aren't what they used to be."

"Yeah, she wasn't quite all there."

"And I think I know why she mistaken Ozzy to be dead."

"Shoot."

"While I was exploring the kitchen, I found a small crack on one of the jars. There were also a couple strands of orange hair as well. I'm thinking he hit his head on the jar, and knocked himself out."

"He hit his head on a jar?"

"Yeah, he ran into it."

"Aaaaaand…why would he do that?"

"I believe he was chasing something. Remember that mouse that made you jump in my arms?"

"Don't remind me."

"I'd say he was chasing that mouse on the counter, didn't stop in time, cracked his head on the jar, and knocked himself out."

"That's a little farfetched, don't cha think?"

"It would be…if it weren't for the fact that I found some strands of orange hair on the jar's crack, matching Ozzy's. I also noticed a large bump on the cat's head while I was bathing it."

"Okay…I'll give you that. But it still doesn't explain the strange noises it made."

"There was a bunch of dirt and gunk stuck in its throat as I cleaned it. If you were stuck on the roof with a bunch of grime in your gullet, you'd make some odd sounds too."

"Heh…Espio, you're on a roll tonight, as usual."

"It's what I do."

Vector paced around the room, while the curious tabby kept turning his head to watch him. "Okay. So let me get this whole case straightened out. Let's set this whole scenario straight. Ozzy chased a mouse in the kitchen and collided into a glass jar, knocking himself out. Isabella, the senile old lady, found him knocked out in the kitchen. She thought he was dead and buried him. Ozzy soon woke back up, drenched in dirt and mud. He clawed his way out of the grave like a zombie. He climbed to the roof, assuming he was trying to get back into the apartment. Those weird noises were a result of his gunked-up throat. Did I get all that right, Espio?"

"Yeah. You got it. Though one thing still bothers me."

"What's that?" 

"Isabella said the noises only happen at night, meaning Ozzy doesn't do it during the day for some reason."

"Hmm…I wouldn't wrap my head around it too much. We solved the case. That's all that matters. Noise is gone. And as an added bonus, Ozzy is still kickin'."

"I suppose you're right. Let's get back to the agency."

Taking Ozzy into his arms, he and Vector left the apartment, Room 279.

About forty minutes later, Charmy, Espio, and Vector were back at headquarters. The whole situation had been explained to their client. Ozzy was returned to Isabella, who was positively overjoyed. Not only were the disturbances stopped, her beloved cat was still alive after all.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! Ooooh…thank you guys! You have really made an old woman happy."

Charmy was almost as excited as she was. "It's what we do at the Chaotix Agency. We make our customers happy."

"Oooh…I'm so sorry Ozzy. I'm so so sorry. I'll never do that again. My baby…"

Isabella lovingly hugged and stroked her tabby, and he returned the affection with purrs and rubbing his head on her arm.

"Another case closed by the Chaotix!" Vector announced, headphones blaring again.

"I got a question Ms. Isabella, if you don't mind me asking." Espio asked.

"Sure, sweetie."

"Your cat only made those noises at night. Why is that?"

"Ohh…sorry, forgot to tell you. Ozzy's afraid of the dark. He always meows and yowls if there isn't any light."

"So that's why the light was left on."

Espio turned to him. "What?"

"The closet with the cat toys and the bed. The light was on, remember?"

"Ahh…"

Isabella nodded. "That's right. I leave the light on so Ozzy wouldn't be so scared."

The old mole got up and slowly moved to the door, with Ozzy in her arm. Charmy opened the door for her.

"Come back anytime!"

"I can't thank you lads enough. I'll be sure to tell my friends about your agency."

Espio cracked a smile. "Please do."

The cat raised a paw and meowed, as if saying goodbye. They soon left, leaving the office to just the three. Vector went back to sitting in his seat behind the desk, Espio sat back against the wall, and Charmy slowly fluttered around the room. It was 9:43 pm.

"What a case, eh Espy?"

"One of our easier cases actually, but still a nice diversion."

"Any calls for us while we were gone, Charms?"

"Nope, no calls."

"Alright."

Vector grabbed the remote and turned on the 19-inch television, which sat by the bookshelf. A non-stop music video channel was on. Nothing but tunes 24/7…except for the commercials of course.

While he was watching the boob tube, Espio was practicing his ninjitsu, and Charmy was dusting the file cabinets.

The night wore on and things had slowed down considerably. There were no more calls. No more clients. A bored Espio looked at the clock above the wall. It was 10:50 pm.

"You guys wanna call it a night?" he asked. "It's almost 11."

Vector saw the time. "Yeah, let's close up. Nothin' else is happenin' tonight."

The television continued to blast out the music videos while the Chaotix tidied their office up. Espio took the day's earnings from the steelbox and placed them inside a large fireproof safe.

A few minutes later, the television program came to an abrupt halt. The music ceased, and a female news anchor appeared onscreen.

"We interrupt this program to bring you a Channel 5 News Special Report."

The threes' attention was now focused on the television.

"Station Square…and everyone across the world watching this right now. I have grave news to give you. Ladies and gentlemen. This will be the hardest thing for me to do in my career, but I deeply regret to inform you…that a murder has been committed tonight. The murder of a great, illustrious hero…"

_**Chapter 2 is next…**_


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 – A Fallen Hero**

_Panic. Chaos. Confusion. These are a few words than can describe the commotion going on right now. We arrived at Amy Hedgehog's home on 17 Hudson Street, where a large group of citizens, at least a hundred, mobbed in front of the place. Police cars and the ambulance screamed into the night. News had spread fast. We couldn't believe it ourselves. One of Earth's greatest saviors was no longer with us. Just like that. Gone in a flash. The police had barricaded the entrance to the scene of the crime. They're keeping order, but just barely. The camera-ready paparazzi swarmed like sharks smelling blood. As Vector, Charmy, and I moved through the sea of people, I can see the anguish and sorrow twisting their faces. Tears streamed from their eyes. Trust me; I shared the same sentiments they had. But as a ninja, I have enough pride not to show that sadness, no matter how tragic the circumstances._

Espio flashed the badge to an officer at the barricade. "Detective Agency. We're going in to investigate."

"Ahh. The Chaotix Agency. I thought'd you guys would show up. Go see Chief Abrams, he's inside."

"Thank you."

The officer spoke into the walkie talkie. "We got the Chaotix at the door. Let 'em in."

"_Affirmative."_

The door unlocked and the three entered Amy's residence, Vector and Charmy instantly felt an ominous chill. Shivers crawled up their backs, giving them goose bumps. Espio didn't feel a chill or shiver.

The chameleon in particular could almost sense the unbridled malevolence in the room. For this wasn't the first time Espio had a brush with death. Shortly after he was born, his father abandoned him and his mother. It turned out he wasn't ready to become a parent, wasn't ready to take responsibility. Espio witnessed his mother's brutal murder when he was still a pup, at the age of five. Without a mother and father, he was taken into care by a close relative. Since then, everyday he has thought of that horrific image of his mother being stabbed mercilessly, over and over again…her screams, her cries, her blood…and it made him break down into tears every single time. What a terrible thing for a five year old to experience...

Fortunately, things have been steadily better as time passed. Espio was taken to a local skating rink for his eighth birthday party. That's also the fateful day where he met three rambunctious kids: a certain bossy, smart-aleck armadillo, a music-loving, food-absorbing crocodile, and a crybaby, tattle-tale bee. Mighty, Vector, and Charmy. They soon became close friends. Seemingly inseparable buddies. Together they skated to the music, stuffed their faces with cake, and played games. They had fun, a real blast. Good times indeed. It was the best thing that had happened in his life.

Despite his father's cowardice, Espio bared no ill will toward the man. He didn't hate him, but he didn't care for him either. As far as he was concerned, he was a complete stranger. At the age of ten, he began training to become a student of the ninjitsu arts. Through sun and moon, rain and shine, he honed his mind and body, improving his skills with each passing day. For years he trained, enduring pain, pouring his blood, sweat, and tears into the art. His mother's death fueled his drive, his ambition. He was determined to find his mother's killer and make him pay. It was the one reason he trained to become a ninja. Espio graduated at the top of his class when he was barely a teenager. His skills were top notch, some say surpassing his master. A child prodigy. Two years later, he opened the Chaotix Agency with the help of his friends, dedicated to helping people with their troubles. As a detective, he hoped that with each mystery solved, with each case closed, he would be a step closer to finding the murderer of his mother…

It was hectic inside the apartment as it was outside. You could hear the crowd from the living room. Officers were scrambling all over the place. Orders were barked every which way.

There was a body in the middle of the floor, covered by a white sheet. Sections of it were stained with blood. Beside the body was a bouquet of red roses.

Chief Abrams was sitting at the kitchen table. Amy the Hedgehog was being questioned by him, though she looked much too depressed to be answering, much less do anything. She was shaking, stuttering, choking up, teary-eyed. A rattled mess.

The chief noticed the trio and got up. "We're going to take a break here, Amy. Okay?"

"…O…O…Okay…"

"Get a drink of water, Ms. Hedgehog. You look terrible. Take a breather. Relax."

"…O…Okay…"

Abrams shook each of their hands. "The Chaotix. Good. Good to see you. In case you haven't noticed, everything's gone to hell over here. It's been total chaos."

Espio nodded. "I've noticed."

"So…he's…he's…uh…really…dead, huh." Vector hesitantly asked, already knowing full well what the answer was going to be.

"I'm afraid so. My friends. Sonic the Hedgehog…has been murdered."

Hearing the news again sure didn't make it any easier to swallow. Charmy couldn't think of a thing to say.

"Damn…What happened?" Vector asked.

"Well…we received a call at approximately 10:14 pm. The source of the call was from Amy Hedgehog's residence on 17 Hudson Street. She had reported the murder. Police officers and an ambulance team were rushed to the scene. We found Sonic, brutally killed in the middle of the living room floor. According to Amy, she was out with a friend earlier tonight. She returned home around 10:10 pm, where Sonic had been found dead in a pool of his own blood. There was a bouquet of roses at his side."

Vector was puzzled. "Bouquet of roses? Is that supposed to be the murderer's calling card or something?"

"No, but I think this is."

Abrams showed them a small ziploc bag containing a disc. "Amy said this CD was playing in the stereo in the living room when she found Sonic."

If it involved music, you know Vector is interested. "Can we listen to it?"

"Sure. Hold on."

Abrams carefully placed the disc in the player and waited as it loaded.

"This is a CD single. There's only one song on it. It was a big hit decades ago, before your time."

"What's the song called?"

"I Say a Little Prayer for You."

The crocodile looked confused. "Never heard of it."

"Didn't think you would. I know Charmy hasn't heard of it."

"Nope! Not at all!"

The disc began playing, starting with a stirring piano solo for several seconds, before a choir began to sing.

_The moment I wake up_

_Before I put on my makeup_

_I say a little prayer for you_

_While combing my hair, now_

_And wondering what dress to wear, now_

_I say a little prayer for you_

_Forever, forever, you'll stay in my heart_

_And I will love you_

_Forever, and ever, we never will part_

_Oh, how I'll love you_

_Together, together, that's how it must be_

_To live without you_

"Would only be heartbreak for me…" Espio suddenly said.

Vector and Charmy turned and had given the chameleon the strangest look in recent memory. Who knew that Espio listened to the classics?

Abrams stopped the CD, looking pleasantly surprised. "…You actually know that song, Espio?"

"I've heard of it before. I don't remember where though."

"You…like that song?" Charmy asked.

"I'm not much of a music listener, but it's a decent song. One of the very few that I actually know."

Abrams placed the CD back in the ziploc bag. "I don't know what a song about love and staying together has to do with killing Sonic in cold blood, but it is evidence nonetheless. Now where were we…ah yes, the bouquet."

Charmy landed on Vector's shoulder. "What about it?"

"The bouquet of roses you see here actually belonged to Sonic. There was a tag attached to the bouquet. It read "From Sonic, To Amy". It…"

"Hold up." Vector interrupted. "You mean to tell me that Sonic was waiting in her house with roses? That ain't like him." 

"What'd you mean?"

"Sonic runs away from Amy any chance he gets. He can't stand being around her for too long. Sonic waiting inside her house with flowers just seems…off."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"According to Amy, her birthday is tomorrow. We think the flowers could be an early present."

"But still, it's just something Sonic wouldn't do."

Abrams glanced down. "Do you want to see the body?"

Vector was reluctant, as well as his partners. But they have to investigate. They have a job to do.

"…Yeah. Let's see it."

"I do warn you. It's very gruesome. Not for the faint of heart."

"Charmy, go upstairs." Espio ordered.

"What?"

"Go upstairs."

"Why?"

"I don't want you seeing this."

"Aw c'mon! I'm part of the team."

"Yes, but you are young. And there some things that a child your age should not see. Now go upstairs."

"But…"

"I will not argue this with you. Go upstairs."

Charmy looked over at Vector, hoping for him to interject with a different answer. But all the crocodile could do was shrug his shoulders.

"Tch…fine then."

He turned around and took his time flying up the stairs, making faces and silently mocking Espio along the way. "Go upstairs, go upstairs…blah blah blah…"

"And I know you're making faces."

The bee continued to grumble as he made his way to the second floor. Charmy didn't mind too much being treated like a kid. After all, he is one. He knows it. But he hated it whenever he was taken out of the group equation, especially during an assignment. He always did what he was told, whether he agreed with it or not. But at times, he feels like he's not good enough for the team, like he's slowing things down for everyone…

Vector gave the ninja a slightly unflattering look. "Dude…that wasn't cool. Charms IS part of the team y'know."

"I'm aware of that. Thank you."

"Then when are you gonna start treating him like he is?"

"He's only a kid, Vector. You heard what Abrams said. There's a dead body here, a gruesome dead body. I don't want this scarring him for life. If you want to traumatize the poor boy, then you go right ahead and call him back down here."

Vector looked toward the staircase, taking a moment to think it over. "…I guess you have a point. I don't think he's quite ready for this."

"Good. I'm glad you understand."

"Okay then gentlemen." Abrams said. "Here it is."

The Chief of Police pulled back the sheet and there was Sonic lying face up. Dead as a doornail. His arms were down his side, his head faced to the left. The hedgehog's face looked like it was struck with the fear of God. Eyes and mouth were stuck wide open. Pupils shrunk to tiny dots. Splotches of blood stained various parts of his body.

Seeing the body from the kitchen, Amy screamed and cried again in anguish as she fell to her knees. Her number one idol, her hero, the one hedgehog that she absolutely adored and wanted to have a family with, to share her dreams with, to have a future with…was now nothing more than a mangled corpse.

"Soniiiiic! Soniiiiic! No….No! No!"

"Officer Brady." Abrams said. "Please escort Ms. Hedgehog outside. Through the back door."

"Yes sir."

He took the struggling hedgehog by the arm and began dragging her away. Amy was resistant, screaming with all her might as her arms and legs swung every which way.

"No! Let me go! Get off me! Get off me! Nooooo!"

"C'mon Miss. This way."

"I said get off me! Waaaaaaaah!"

Abrams waited until she was outside before continuing. "…Poor girl. She's been beside herself all night."

"…That's a damn shame…" Vector said.

"It is. It is."

Espio scanned the body. "Are those bullet wounds?"

"Yeah. Six of 'em. One on each kneecap. One on each elbow. One in the abdomen. And one right in the center of his forehead."

"Someone doesn't like Sonic very much."

"It even gets worse. Take a look at this."

Abrams gave the signal and two EMTs carefully turned Sonic over, revealing his back. To say that it wasn't pretty would be a gross understatement.

"Dear God…" Espio commented.

"What the hell man…"

"Not only has Sonic been shot several times in the front, he was stabbed multiple times in the back. By the looks of it, I'd guesstimate about 50 times."

"I would say closer to 70. And the murderer is likely a left-hander." Espio said, using his sharp eyes.

"A left-hander?" Abrams asked.

"Yeah. Most of the slashes are diagonal from top-left to bottom-right. Very, very likely a left-hander."

"I see. You got a good eye. Now take a look at this. His quills and tail have been cut off. You could hardly tell he's a hedgehog anymore."

"Who would do something like this?" Vector questioned. "You got any leads?"

"Not at that moment, no. But who ever did to this to Sonic has some serious, serious personal issues. He or she wanted him to suffer horribly until the very end. One deeply troubled individual."

"And one very sick puppy." Vector added.

"I'm going to take a quick look around. See if I can find any clues." Espio said.

"Go right ahead. I don't think you'll find anything though."

"We'll see."

As the ninja began searching around the house, Abrams nodded at the EMTs, prompting them to store Sonic into the black body bag.

Espio looked quickly but efficiently, going high and low through every room there was in the modest house. He passed Charmy who was sitting on the staircase. They didn't acknowledge each other's presence. But alas, not a single little thing stood out.

"Find anything?" Abrams asked.

"Nope. Not a single thing. The murderer was surprisingly careful. Knows how to cover his…or her tracks well."

"Told ya." Abrams pointed at the body bag. "Now, the EMTs are about to ship Sonic out to the ambulance. You guys all done here?"

The two nodded. "Yeah."

"Okay."

"Charmy!" Espio called out. "We're leaving!"

The bee wasn't exactly all smiles as he slowly buzzed down the stairway, wearing a very smug look on his face.

"…I'm surprised you didn't forget me."

"It was for your own good."

"…Whatever."

"Now Charms…" Vector patted him on the back, sensing a bit of tension. "Espy was just doing what's best for you. Sonic was a terrible, terrible mess. It was the most horrible thing we've ever seen. You would've had nightmares, man. I'm telling you. Okay?"

Charmy was silent.

"Okay?"

"…Okay…" he muttered.

"Cool."

"Okay gentlemen." Abrams announced. "Let's move."

Not two seconds after the door opened, they were nearly blinded by the barrage of flashing cameras. The crowd had nearly doubled in size since the Chaotix arrived there. They did their best to cover their eyes as the body bag moved through the encroaching mob. Several officers kept Sonic separated from his legion of fans. Watching a sea of those people with their tear-filled, tormented faces screaming…crying… reaching out for him…mourning for their hero…was more than enough to tug your heart strings. They looked up to him. He is an inspiration.

But now he was never coming back.

Vector was fighting a painful lump going up and down his throat like a yo-yo, trying to keep himself from bawling out. Out of the original four Chaotix members, he was probably the most sensitive.

"Coming through. Coming through. Move it! Move it!" Abrams barked.

Sonic's body was carefully placed into the waiting ambulance. The Chaotix stood there for a few moments before it sped off, sirens echoing into the night.

Abrams stood behind them. "I'll see you guys around. I wish you luck in finding Sonic's murderer."

"Thanks." Vector replied.

Abrams and his fellow officers left the scene as well, their sirens also blaring. The three stood amongst the crowd, taking in the latest events. What a night. Whoever was responsible for Sonic's death must've been quite a formidable foe. After all, Robotnik had tried to kill the hedgehog for years. Even though the doctor had limitless technological ingenuity, his numerous attempts proved to be futile against the blue speed demon. Sonic survived against Robotnik's countless mechanical incarnations, Perfect Chaos, the Final Hazard, the Metal Overlord, and yet…he was massacred in an apartment by nothing more than a gun and a knife. Such bitter irony. The murderer had to be one hell of a force to be reckoned with to achieve such a feat.

The three had spotted Sonic's friends as well, just as sad as the rest naturally. They were closest to him after all. It was the usual familiar faces. Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, Big, Cream, Amy. Espio looked across the street and there was one face that made him stop and stare. The person was alone. He just leaned back on the bench with his legs crossed and arms laid out. He certainly had that self-assured vibe about him. This face was definitely new, definitely unfamiliar to him. And Espio already felt something odd about the guy.

"Who is that?" the ninja pointed, eyes narrowing.

Vector looked over yonder. "Who is what?"

"That guy. Right there. Sitting on the bench. I've never seen him before."

The yellow-furred creature wore gloves and shoes similar to Sonic's. His thick, bushy tail swished back and forth as he looked toward Amy's house and the people.

Vector's face lit up. "Aw dude! That's Ray the Squirrel. Wow… Thought I'd never see him again."

"…And who is Ray the Squirrel?"

"What? Seriously? You don't know who he is?"

"…No. You mind clueing me in?"

"Dude…he was best buds with Sonic and Mighty back in the day. The three of them used to hang out together all the time."

"You said he was friends with Mighty?"

"Yep. Sure was."

"How come Mighty never mentioned him to me?"

"I dunno. I guess he figured it wasn't important."

"Hmm…well in that case…I wonder if he knows where Mighty is now."

"Heyyy…not a bad idea. You should go ask him."

"I think I'll do that."

"Charms and I will be with Tails and Knuckles and the gang." 

"Okay."

Espio casually crossed the blocked-off street and approached the bench, acting as nonchalant as can be. Ray continued to look at the house. The squirrel has certainly grown and matured since his Sonic and Mighty days. He knew how to look stylish as well, as the ninja noticed. His coat was exceptionally soft and shiny; three combed-over spikes were neatly lined between his pointed ears. He wore an open blue leather bomber jacket that perfectly matched his eyes. Espio could smell the cologne on him, pinching at his senses. He also could detect a hint of cinnamon, probably from a mint or gum he had. Judging by the way he presented himself, one can assume that he was quite a charmer with the ladies.

"Hello." The chameleon greeted.

Ray remained silent, not bothering to look in his direction.

"Hello."

Again, he was quiet.

"…Hi there."

No response.

"…My name is Espio, and I…"

"Do I know you?"

"…No."

"Do you know me?"

"…No."

"Then why are you talking to me?"

"Because I heard that you knew an armadillo named Mighty way back then."

"And what if I do?"

"Well…have you seen him lately?"

"Possibly."

"Are you going to tell me or…"

"Have you ever stopped to think of how selfish you are?"

"…Excuse me?"

"…Never mind. Like you ever would."

"Can you stop playing around and explain yourself?"

"Why should I? I don't know you."

"I'm Espio. Mighty's a longtime friend of mine."

"Who told you that I knew Mighty anyways?"

Espio pointed across the street. "Vector did."

Ray saw him, still not turning his head. "Heh…can't say I'm surprised. Vector always had a big mouth."

"Well…have you seen Mighty lately or not?"

"What's it to you?"

"I already told you. Because he's a close friend of mine. Look. Let me explain…"

Ray rolled his eyes.

"Mighty has been missing for over a year now. He was a part of our detective agency before he disappeared without a trace. We haven't seen him since. We really miss him. And since you're a friend of his, we're wondering if you know anything. Like where he is or how he's doing. Anything. Now can you please answer?"

Ray rubbed his chin in thought, pondering Espio's plea. Perhaps he was finally getting through to the squirrel after all.

"…You haven't seen him in over a year, right?"

"That's right."

"And he's disappeared without a trace. And you miss him that much. You want Mighty back, right?"

"No question."

"Well in that case…perhaps I can help you."

"Really? You'll help us?"

"Actually no. No, I can't help you. Sorry Charlie. You're outta luck."

"…What."

"Now get the hell outta my face. You're becoming a pest."

"Do you have some sort of problem with me?"

"Wow…you catch on pretty quick. No wonder you became a detective."

"Listen, you little prick. I've had enough of your pissy attitude. If you know where Mighty is, then you damn well BETTER tell me!"

"…Little?" he scoffed.

Ray stood up with his fists clenched, and he looked Espio right in the eyes. That bushy tail of his began to sway violently. It turned out that the squirrel was a few inches taller than him.

"Whether I know where Mighty is or not is none of your damn business."

Espio returned the stare right back at him. He held his palms out, with thumbs tucked in. His left palm positioned out toward Ray. His right placed back by his own chest. The pressure was on. Both were ready for a throw down.

"Your move, sunshine." Ray said.

As much as he'd like to slap the squirrel around, it wasn't in him to start unnecessary fights. That's how he was trained. Instead, he dropped his stance and began to walk away.

"Smartest thing you did all night. Chump." Ray told him.

Espio ignored the comment. "You're not worth my time."

He met up with Vector back on the other side of the street.

"Where's Charmy?"

"He's sitting by the tree over there. He's about to go to sleep though. He's been nodding off and on. So how'd it go with Ray? You find anything about Mighty?"

"Nope, nothing."

"Wha? You mean he didn't know anything?"

"Oh no, he knew something. But he decided to be a horse's ass and not tell me a thing. I seriously don't see how Sonic and Mighty can stand being around him."

Vector looked across the street toward the bench. Ray was nowhere to be seen.

"Wow…that doesn't sound like the Ray I remember. He was a cool dude. Real friendly. Got along with everybody. Shy even. I wonder what happened…"

"I don't know either. But I am going to make him talk, whether he likes it or not. I will find Mighty…"

"Don't forget that we have to find Sonic's murderer. That's our number one priority right now."

"I know. I didn't forget. As a matter of fact, Ray is currently my number one suspect."

"…Oh?" Vector raised an eye. "It's like that?"

"Yeah Vector. It's like that. Don't you find it odd that we haven't seen Ray in years, yet he just happens to show up right after Sonic's murder?"

"…Yeah you do got a point."

Espio stretched out his arms and legs, followed by a yawn. Fatigue was beginning to set in. "You guys wanna call it a night? We'll need to hit the hay soon if we're going to tackle this big case tomorrow."

Vector scratched his chest. He opened his mouth wide, catching the infectious yawn. "Yeah…that'll be good. I'm pretty out of it. Say…if we're going to start tomorrow right, why don't we eat at the Waffle Hut for breakfast?"

Espio shook his head. "…Oh geez…you're going to flirt with her again aren't you…"

Vector tried to look as innocent as possible, complete with the clueless expression and puppy dog eyes. "Moi? I don't know what you're talking about…"

"Oh please. It's the same routine every time we go there. I don't know why you keep beating around the bush. Just ask her out and get it over with."

"HEY! I'll ask her when I'm ready! Awright?"

"Whatever you say. You better get Charmy before he falls asleep."

Vector nodded and he went over by the tree. He knocked on wood, literally. He repeatedly hit the trunk until the bee snapped awake.

"Huh? What? Huh?"

"We're going home, Charms."

"Mmmmm."

The three met back up, standing on the sidewalk.

"We're going to meet at the Waffle Hut at 8am sharp tomorrow morning." Espio informed the team. "Get plenty of rest guys. This will be our biggest…and probably our most dangerous case yet. Whoever murdered Sonic is not going to get away with it, not while the Chaotix is still around."

_**Chapter 3 is next…**_


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 – An Invisible Threat**

_Ahh…the Waffle Hut. A quaint little restaurant on 76__th__ Street that's been around for nearly thirty years, and for good reason. It was a staple in the Chaotix breakfast routine. We eat here twice a week, Mondays and Wednesdays. As the title implies, this restaurant creates the best waffles in the city. As you wait for your food to be prepared, your sense of smell is constantly teased by a pleasingly sweet aroma. It's almost irresistible. I like the traditional atmosphere here along with the ever-present jazz music. It's quite relaxing. Nothing pre-made here. It's all from scratch. Their thick, world-famous batter is poured into the grill, baked to a golden brown, topped with your choice of your favorite fruit, butter, syrup, or all three if you prefer, and then it's ready to serve. Hot and crispy on the outside, and then when you take that first sweet bite…it all melts into a smooth, velvety nirvana. Nothing else comes close. _

_Geez…I'm beginning to sound like Vector. Enough about the food. Let's get things back in the proper perspective. The unthinkable has happened. The world's greatest hero is no longer with us. Sonic the Hedgehog has been murdered in cold blood. The world grieves at his passing. Now Vector, Charmy, and myself, the Chaotix Agency, are on the case. Right now we have more questions than answers, but hopefully that will change as we uncover the facts. Though one thing in particular continues to cross my mind. Sonic's murder was bad enough, but the way he was murdered has got me thinking. Who would hate him so much that he or she felt like a shooting and stabbing of that magnitude was necessary? Not to mention adding insult by cutting off his tail and quills. Like Abrams said, the killer must have some deeply personal issues. We will track down the one responsible for this unforgivable crime and bring him…or her to justice._

"Your waffles are ready gentlemen." The waitress smiled as she handed out the food, along with two glasses of orange juice and a cup of hot tea. It wasn't hard to figure out who had the tea.

Vector's plate was stacked high with four waffles topped with cherries, butter, and syrup. Charmy's had two with apples and syrup. Espio's had a single waffle with just blueberries.

"Th…thank you…" The crocodile stammered as he started to blush.

The waitress giggled. "You're welcome, hon."

As she walked away to the kitchen, Vector just had to turn around and catch another look at her. Espio just shook his head and looked down at his meal. Charmy had already begun chowing down on his. The waffles were always sweet inside the Waffle Hut, but Vector had his eye on something sweeter for a long time.

Abigail was a pure-white rabbit in her early twenties, with soft fur and a charming disposition. Nine times out of ten she had a smile on her face. So happy. She was tall and slender, with long whiskers and entrancing azure eyes and ears that stood in attention. Abigail was quite a looker, definitely easy on the eyes. If you looked up the word "curves" in the dictionary, seeing a picture of Abigail wouldn't be stretching the truth by any means. She was, in Vector's eyes, an angel.

Vector has been one of the "cool" kids some years back. He was always among the popular crowd and wasn't afraid to accept a challenge. He was rude, crude, loud, and boisterous. His attitude had helped him stand apart from the pack. Whether it was a rap battle, Vector had them all beat with his meticulous flow and wordplay. Whether it was a street fight, his raw power and tough hide had defeated many a challenger. It also helped that he was the largest out of the bunch. "Big Bad" was a nickname given to him by his buddies. Many of the younger children thought he was, simply put, awesome. Compared to Espio, he's had a relatively happy childhood. Not to mention the two are pretty much complete opposites, and yet they're still close friends.

His first taste of music happened when he was four years old; a hip-hop music video came on his parents' television. It featured a deejay absolutely obliterating the turntables. Scratchin' and rollin' with such style. Such grace. The artist was a skunk named DJ Scratchensniff. He was an expert at his craft. From his flashy clothes, to his ice cool swagger, to the funky fresh beats and rhymes, this man was Vector's idol. But one thing in particular had caught his eye. Scratchensniff had on a pair of large, black headphones that screamed "tiiiiiight". And as it turned out, you can get your own pair. They were sold in stores. Ever since he saw those 'phones, Vector knew he had to have them. He begged his parents over and over, until they finally agreed. The headphones were his, on his next birthday. Since then, he's rarely seen without them.

As big and confident as he was, Vector has always been a klutz when it came to interacting with attractive females. He was an awkward, clumsy, stuttering pile of nerves whenever he attempted to converse with one. From Big Bad Wolf to Tiny Timid Puppy. Humorous…yet pathetic. Because he's been rollin' with the boys so much, he hasn't really had a chance to experience the opposite side of the emotions spectrum. Emotions like…sensitivity, compassion, and…dare I say it…loooooove. Fortunately the big guy is only twenty years old; he's still got plenty of time to learn about the intricacies of the opposite sex…

Vector was daydreaming, lost in her allure…her magnetism… He was well on his way to cloud nine.

"Hey Casanova." Espio said.

He was still lost.

"Helloooo…"

He didn't answer, still floating along.

Espio slammed a fist down on the table, clanking the utensils. "VECTOR!"

The crocodile slightly jumped, snapping out of it. "Huh! Huh? What'd you say?"

"You plan on asking her out before the restaurant closes down?"

"You can't rush love, Espy. You can't rush love. It uh… takes time..."

"Oh please. You've been saying that for nearly a month now. Either ask her out or stop oogling her. It's getting sad."

"It…it will happen. It will happen in due time."

"What? Puberty?"

"Har har."

"Stop pussyfooting. If you're not going to ask her out, then I'll do it for you."

"Don't you dare!"

Espio stood up.

Vector began to panic. "Hey…HEY! What're you doin'?! Stop!"

The ninja cupped his hands around his mouth. "Hey Abigail!"

Vector pulled him back down into his seat. "Shh! Shut up dude!"

The rabbit peeked out from the kitchen. "Yes? Did you need something?"

"Oh…n…no! It' s nothing. So…Sorry!" Vector replied.

"Okay."

He waited until she went back into the kitchen, and then shot Espio with a dirty look. "Why'd you do that for?!"

"I was doing you a favor. You know, giving you a backbone."

"Look. I'll ask her when I'm ready. Okay? Don't do that again."

"Fine. Just remember. The longer you wait, the harder it's going to be."

"I know..."

Espio finished off another bite and washed it down with a sip of tea. "Well then, shall we get down to business? There's a case to be solved."

"Yeah." Charmy replied.

Vector nodded in agreement. "Let's start."

"Okay. Now…as you guys know, I've already searched the scene of the crime last night. Couldn't find a thing. So the next logical step would be to question Sonic's friends. Ask those closest to him."

"Actually." Vector interrupted with a mouthful. "I've already interrogated Knuckles and Tails."

Espio looked pleasantly surprised. "…You have? When?"

"Last night while you were talking with Ray. I've asked them some questions, and I've managed to uncover one piece of the puzzle."

"What'd you find out?"

"I discovered the reason why Sonic was found in Amy's apartment with a bouquet of roses. It was…because of Knuckles. He was responsible."

"Knuckles?!" Charmy dropped his fork. "You mean he…killed Sonic?"

"No no! Nothin' like that. Let me explain." Vector gulped some orange juice. "Now we all know that Sonic and Knuckles like to have their sparring matches now and then, right?"

"Right." Espio replied.

"Here's the kicker. Four days before the murder, the two had another match. Both of them knew that Amy's birthday was comin' up. Knuckles knew how much Sonic didn't like being around her, and Sonic also knew how much Knuckles couldn't stand being around Rouge. So an interesting wager was made. If Sonic lost the match, he'd have to show up at Amy's house with roses on the night before her birthday. If Knuckles lost, he'd have to show up at Rouge's place with roses. And…judging by what we saw, Sonic lost."

Espio rubbed his chin. "So it would be safe to assume that the murderer followed Sonic around…and waited until he was inside the apartment before killing him."

"I'd think so." Vector nodded. "Inside where there are no witnesses."

"Wait a minute. The police said Amy wasn't home when Sonic was killed. That would mean…Sonic went into her house without permission?" Charmy asked.

Vector inhaled an entire waffle. "Either that or the killer forced him in."

"Did Tails say anything important?"

"Nah. Poor kid was just as strung out as Amy."

"In any case, that's one part of the mystery solved. But there's also the matter of the CD that was playing." Espio said.

Charmy wiped some apple topping from his chin. "Ah…that song… 'I Say a Little Prayer For You.' Right?"

"Right. And you guys have never heard the song before or recognize it from anywhere?"

Both the bee and crocodile shook their heads. It wasn't ringing any bells. Of course, Espio had heard the tune before. But he didn't know where…at least that's what he says.

"Alright then. Chaotix." The chameleon announced. "We haven't done this in awhile, but the three of us are going to separate."

"We're gonna split up?" Charmy asked after finishing off his orange juice.

"Yeah. We'll cover more ground this way. Vector?"

"Yeah dawg?"

"Don't call me that again. I want you to hit all the music stores in the city. Gather as much information as you can. Find out if anyone has recently sold a CD single of 'I Say a Little Prayer for You'. Got it?"

"Gotcha."

"Now I realize you haven't any done real investigating lately, Charmy. So this will be a good chance for you to get some experience."

"Thanks Espio…"

"Don't mention it. You still have your cell phone, right?"

"Right!"

"Good. If you run into any trouble, fly away as hard and fast as you can. Call up Vector and he'll be there in a hurry. Okay?"

"Okay."

Espio wasn't too fond of carrying cell phones or any other mobile electronic devices on him while he was on missions, especially ones that require stealth or his ninjitsu expertise. He needed absolute concentration. There's nothing more embarrassing than blowing your cover caused by a ring tone, or getting distracted in a fight by a vibration.

"What did you want me to do?" Charmy questioned.

"Search around Amy Hedgehog's neighborhood. Find any clues. Ask the citizens there if they have seen anything suspicious. Anything out of the ordinary."

"Right."

"What are you going to do?" Vector asked.

"I'm going to find Ray the Squirrel. That snot-nosed kid's definitely hiding something. I'm almost positive he knows something about Sonic's murder…and Mighty."

Vector cleaned up his plate. "Still can't believe Ray acted like that toward you. Something's up with him."

"We'll see. The time is now…9:02 am. We'll meet back here at 7:00 pm. Yes, it will be an all-day assignment. If you need a break, take a break. If you're hungry, grab a bite to eat."

"What about our Agency?" Charmy asked. "Who's gonna look after it?"

"I've already posted a sign on the door. The office will be closed. The Chaotix Agency will no longer take any more clients until we solve the Sonic the Hedgehog case. He was a great friend and a hero to us all. The killer will be captured and punished to the fullest extent of the law. It's the least we can do for him."

Vector and Charmy were silent. It really is all they could do for the blue blur.

Espio raised two fingers as Abigail walked toward their table. "Check please."

"Okay. I'll be right back."

She returned with the black book. Espio and Vector split the bill. The crocodile placed seven dollars inside as a tip, as he always did since seeing her. Abigail soon returned to collect the money.

"You can keep the change." Vector smiled at her, but avoided eye contact.

"Why thank you, hon. You guys have a good day, okay?"

Charmy lifted up and stretched out. "We will!"

The rabbit began to walk toward the other side of the restaurant.

"Hey Abigail." Espio suddenly said.

She turned around. "Yes sir?"

"I believe Vector has something he wanted to say to you."

The reptile flashed one hell of an evil-eye toward the ninja, not appreciating what he just did. Espio just smirked at him.

"Oh? What did you want to tell me?"

Vector felt hot in the face as he got up from his seat. His brain went haywire, preventing him from forming a coherent sentence. "Err…that is…uhh…err…yeah…"

"Hee hee. What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?"

"Umm…ummm….eeeee….thanks for the food!" He managed to spit out, and then made a mad dash out the door.

Abigail covered her mouth as she giggled. "What a silly crocodile."

"Oh you have no idea…" Espio commented.

Both the bee and chameleon shook their heads as they exit the restaurant as well, meeting up with Vector. He stood there with his arms crossed, looking quite annoyed as he stared right at Espio.

"I hate you."

"You're welcome. Okay guys, it's time to start the case. Remember to meet back at the Waffle Hut at 7:00 pm. Be careful out there. Keep your eyes peeled. Now let's move!"

Espio, Charmy, and Vector went their separate ways. And so it began.

The Case of the Fallen Hero.

Charmy returned to Hudson Street, where Amy's home was still surrounded by police tape. The scene of the crime seemed deserted. Amy couldn't reside there now, so she was relocated until the whole thing blew over. The bee could still feel a slight chill emanating from the place. But there was no time for fear. He had a task to do.

The kid didn't travel too far down the sidewalk before he approached an elderly man in suspenders.

"Hello. I'm Charmy, part of the Chaotix Agency. I'm a detective. I'm just here to ask you a quick question. Have you noticed anything strange or suspicious last night before Sonic was murdered? Anything at all?"

The old man thought for a bit, before he shook his head. "…No…no I'm afraid not kiddo."

"Okay. Thank you. Here…" The bee handed him a business card. "That's the number to my cell phone. Call if anything comes up. Okay?"

"…Sure. Thank you."

Charmy crossed the street and approached a teenage girl listening to her mp3 player. He asked her the same question…and pretty much got the same answer. Her friend didn't know anything either. The bee buzzed along and questioned a middle-aged man sitting on the curb, still nothing.

Before he continued further, he noticed a black car with fully dark-tinted windows appearing. Sleek and sporty it was, had to cost at least fifty grand. It had pulled up from around the corner and stopped in front of the first house on the street, the engine idling. Charmy didn't pay any mind and resumed.

All he got was the same reply when he approached a few houses and knocked on their doors. No one seemed to notice anything out of the ordinary. The two young girls playing jump rope down the road had nothing.

"Nope!"

"Uh-uh! Sorry!"

"Heyyyy! You wanna play 'House' with us?"

"Yeah! You wanna play 'House'? You can be the daddy!"

"Umm…heh heh…no thanks."

He wasn't quite ready to be a father yet. A freaky one at that. He interrogated a little runt with a squirt gun sitting on the porch, but he didn't know anything either.

Charmy heard the sound of an increasingly louder engine and he turned around. There was that black car, sitting there with the ignition on. Something was amiss, though. He didn't remember the vehicle being this close to him. The bee could've sworn it was further down the road. Strange. Dismissing it as his imagination, he ignored it and kept going.

The young man washing his midsize car had nothing for the kid. Charmy knocked on another door, but no one answered. He could hear a German Shepard barking in the backyard. There was an old couple sitting on a swing bench next door. Still no leads. Charmy couldn't believe no one had noticed anything. Then again, the murder did happen pretty late at night.

He turned around and there was that black car again. It sat there, engine still running. Again, something didn't feel right. He had second thoughts before but now he was definitely sure. The vehicle had no doubt moved closer to him. Charmy suddenly didn't feel so good, feeling a nervous pang hit his stomach. The tension was beginning to rise. Breathing deep, he leisurely buzzed down the street, acting as though he didn't notice the car's presence.

As Charmy moved down the street, he could hear the car creeping along with him. The slight crinkle of tires rolling over the concrete clued him off. His palms were clammy and his heart pounded. Whenever he stopped, the car stopped. Whenever he moved, the car followed. Whether he walked fast or slow, the car matched the speed.

The bee continued moving forth. He thought about flying away, but he was very young and his wings haven't fully developed yet. His maximum altitude would be about nine feet, tops. And he could only maintain it for maybe ten seconds before he would tire himself out. He wouldn't get too far.

The street seemed to stretch on forever. The car didn't let up. It still maintained close distance. Charmy tried to silently mouth the words 'Help Me' to any bystanders, but he was pretty much ignored. By now he couldn't handle any more pressure. He had to do something. He decided to make a break for it.

Charmy made a sudden right turn and dashed as fast as he can into the nearest backyard, hoping to cut through and lose them. He didn't bother looking back as he heard the car doors opening. He didn't want to know who was after him. The bee jumped as soon as he heard voices yelling after him, but he didn't stop running.

"HEY YOU! STOP!"

"C'MERE BOY! C'MERE!"

At 11:22 am, a cautious Vector walked through the front door of "The Beat", a small independent music store on 11th street. He looked back outside through the small window, for he noticed a sleek black car was following him as well.

"What be the matter, Vecta'?" the clerk asked.

"A black car's been behind me for seven blocks. It's following me like it's the police or somethin'."

"Hey mon! Don't be bringin' no fuzzies up in my store!"

"Don't worry, Pierce. I don't think the police would be rollin' around in a slick sports car."

Vector looked both ways through the window. Vehicles clogged the streets but that black sports car was nowhere in sight.

"I think I lost 'em."

"Good."

The gray coyote Pierce was behind the counter, leaning back in his chair quite comfortably. The music bumping through the stereo and his baggy clothes tipped you off that the late teenager was a big fan of hip-hop, just as Vector was. They were good friends that engaged in rap battles years back, spitting hot verses at one another. And no, Pierce isn't his real name. It's a moniker he earned from his peers because, well, nearly every part of his face was pierced. His ears, eyelids, nose, lip, and tongue…punctured and ringed. Whether or not he has other pierced body parts is better left unknown. He's actually a pretty laid-back guy despite his hardcore appearance. Judging by the faint odor in the store, Mary Jane had paid him a visit today…if you catch my drift.

Vector and Pierce met in front of the counter with a handshake, the pinky-hook, the lean-in, and then pats on each other's backs.

"So wassup mon? What cha doin' 'ere?" Pierce asked.

"You hear about Sonic's murder last night?"

"Yeah… Was all over da news. Someone really had it in for dat blue hog. He got bloodied up bad."

"I know. Me, Charmy, and Espio investigated the scene. Police found a CD single there. It was playing the song 'I Say a Little Prayer for You' when Amy found Sonic. Do you remember selling any CD singles of that song lately?"

Pierce thought for a bit, putting a hand in his baggy jeans. "…Nah. Don't remember selling dat to anybody. Never even heard of it."

"I didn't think you would. Say, do you have a phone book?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I'm supposed to go to every music store in the city and see if they recently sold that CD. Instead of doin' that, I'll just call them up. It'll be faster…"

"…and safer. Dat black car won't be followin' ya around."

Pierce retrieved a somewhat-tattered phone book from under the register. "Here ya go. Phone's on da counter."

"Thanks man."

"No prob."

Vector thumbed through the yellow pages until he reached the music store section. There were a total of sixteen in the entire city. He dialed the first one on the list. "Dan's Music Emporium".

The crocodile waited for three dial tones before someone picked up.

"Hello? Yeah. I was wondering if you have sold a CD single of "I Say a Little Prayer for You" recently…okay…I'll hold on…."

Vector stayed on the line for almost two minutes before a response.

"…alright…yeah…okay, thank you." He said before hanging up.

Pierce leaned on the counter. "Well?"

"Nope. Time to try the next one."

"Can't Stop the Music" was the next one on the list. They didn't even carry the single in stock. "Tunes-R-Us" was the same way. Vector kept striking out as he moved down the list…until he got to the number nine store, ironically named "Sonic Boom". He dialed up the number. After two dial tones, it was answered.

"Yeah, hi. I was wondering if you have sold a CD single of "I Say a Little Prayer for You" recently…alright…I'm a detective for the Chaotix Agency…I'll wait…"

He waited for more than seven long minutes, almost ready to hang up. The cheesy love song playing in the background didn't help either.

"…Yeah? Uh-huh. Really? Yes. This is a crucial part of finding Sonic's murderer. Yeah. You think I can see the tapes? Okay…yes…yes…I'm Vector Crocodile. Not quite yet. I'll let you know. Thank you. Thank you. Bye."

"Sounds like you got somethin', mon."

"Yeah, finally. They received one copy of the single in a shipment about a month ago. Just now, they checked the electronic inventory count and it said they still had one…but there's a little problem…"

"And what dat be?"

"After checking through their CD stock, they couldn't find the one copy. Which means…"

"It was stolen."

"Right. But I'm not gonna jump to conclusions quite yet. I'm gonna call the other music stores first."

"Good." Pierce pulled out a pack of cigarettes. "I need a smoke. Come out back with me."

"Sure."

Outside, the two chilled for a bit. They leaned back against the brick wall in a narrow alleyway. Pierce took out his Zippo lighter, lit up, and inhaled. He silently offered Vector a puff, but he waved his hand in refusal.

"Nah, I'm cool. I already quit."

"Alright. So…you ever hook up wit dat girl?"

"What girl?"

"Aye! Don't play dumb wit me! Dat honeypot at da Waffle Hut…ahh…what's her name?"

"I don't…remember."

"Vecta…I know when you're lyin' to me. Shoot…I know ya better than ya know yourself."

Vector suddenly became quiet. The coyote was right to a point.

"Seriously though, you betta ask her before she's taken. She be a keeper."

"I will…"

Pierce playfully nudged him with an elbow. "Though between you and me, I wouldn't mind slicin' myself a piece of dat. I just might take her myself."

Vector turned to him with a very bothered look. "What?"

"Haha! Nah mon. I'm only kiddin', I'm only kiddin'. I wouldn't do dat to ya. Shoulda seen da look on your face though. Funny as hell yeah?"

"Let's just drop the subject. Awright?"

"Awright awright... Whatever ya say."

The coyote expelled the nicotine fog through his nose. "You know Vecta', there'd be a lotta rumors floatin' around about who killed Sonic."

Vector turned to him, eyes widening. "…Like who?"

"Some major power playas I hear. Word on de street is that a certain crime organization ain't not too fond of Sonic."

"Crime organization? What crime organization?"

Pierce took another puff and exhaled. "I don't know. But like I said, it's just rumors. Street talk."

"Hmm…"

The coyote looked up toward the high-noon sun. "That's de life of a hero for ya. A blessing and a curse."

A silent Vector stared toward the ground, thoughts beginning to race.

"No matter how much a hero is loved or how many fans he has, he will always have enemies. There's no way around it. I'm sure Sonic knew de risks of taking on the responsibility. He knew it came with de territory. He's got some cajones. Damn shame it ended up the way it did."

Pierce took his last puff and flicked the cigarette. "Alright. Let's go back inside."

Vector was back on the phone, continuing down the list of stores. Pierce leaned in beside him. "Rick's Records" was next, and it proved to be a waste of time. No one even answered the phone. "The Wall" was a bust as well. He went through the rest of the list. Nothing came up. He called "Rick's Records" once more, only to get another string of dial tones.

The crocodile sighed as he paced around. "C'mon you dumbasses…pick up."

"Whoa…" Pierce muttered as he looked out the front door.

The same black car that followed Vector stopped right in front of the shop. Not good. It seems like he has been spotted. Pierce stared as the dark-tinted window gradually slid down. The coyote's heart and eyes jumped as the barrel of an Uzi submachine gun appeared from the car, aimed right at the store.

"GET DOWN!" Pierce shouted as he tackled Vector to the ground, knocking the phone out of his hand.

"Hey! Whaddya doin' man!"

The front door and window shattered as bullets began to rip through the store. The discs, walls, shelves, and tables disintegrated bit by bit. Countless pieces of debris shot up like popcorn. The store was being eaten alive as the damage tallied up. If you stood, you were dead. Vector and Pierce stayed as low and still as they could, holding each other during the projectile barrage. After about ten seconds of gunfire, the car peeled off for a hasty getaway. To the two, those ten seconds felt like an eternity.

"Are you okay, Pierce?"

"I'm fine, mon. You?"

"I'm cool."

Pierce was reluctant, but stood back up amidst the destruction. Vector wasn't far behind.

"Good God, Vecta! What da hell was all dat about?"

"I have no freakin' idea."

"Dat car WAS following you!"

"And? I don't know those people! I don't know why the hell they want to kill me!"

Pierce remained silent for a few seconds before he scratched his head. "Sorry mon. Didn't mean for it to go like dat."

"It's all good. Though I have a feeling those hit-n-runners are connected to Sonic's death."

"Yeah…no doubt." The coyote took a good long look around the store, now in utter shambles. "Daaaaamn…what a mess. Aye yai yai! My pops is gonna be PISSED!"

1:49 pm. Espio's detective work had brought him to Halsey, a housing project in southeastern Station Square. The bad part of town. The place your parents warned you about. Nearly thirty percent of Station Square's crimes happen here. You could tell just by looking at the place. Lowlifes and miscreants linger around the grimy ghettos like moths to a flame. Rampant vandalism and armed robbery marked the unfortunate homes and businesses. Even the sky around this area seems darker than the rest of the city. For every day you live here was like playing another round of Russian Roulette.

Regardless of the risks involved, Espio ventured forth. According to a tip he received from a paranoid hyena, Ray lived in a small house on 214th Ave. The chameleon knew he was in hostile territory. He wanted to avoid fights whenever possible, but if fools want to challenge him…so be it.

Walking down 210th street, the ninja paid no mind to the thugs loitering on the stoops... Though the thugs loitering on the stoops did mind the ninja walking down 210th street.

A pack of bears, all dressed in blue jeans and dark red t-shirts, all looked at him as he walked. The leader of the pack was the biggest of them all, standing at least 7'3'' and 500-plus pounds. With a sly grin he stood in Espio's path, blocking his way. The cocky bear was nearly twice as tall as him.

"Heh. You lost kid?" he growled. "Haven't seen you 'round here before."

Espio could smell the booze on him. "That's because I haven't been here before. Have you seen Ray the Squirrel? I hear he lives around here."

"Maybe. Though I don't think it's good for your health to be snoopin' 'round here. You best turn your little ass around before somethin' bad happens to ya."

"I can't leave. I'm a detective investigating the murder of Sonic the Hedgehog. Ray is a prime suspect."

"Oh? You're a detective?" he grinned wide, then turned to his posse. "You hear that, guys? Lizard boy here is a detective!"

"Oh noes! A detective!"

"Oooooooh!"

"Kick his ass!"

"Beat his ass, Jeffrey!"

The huge bear reached into his pocket. "You see, Lizard Boy. We don't take kindly to police or nosy little detectives up in our business. Go home."

"I'm not leaving. If you don't have any information regarding Ray, then move out of my way."

"Hey, that rhymed!"

"Shuddap!" Jeffrey shouted.

"Sorry boss..."

Jeffrey slowly pulled out a large steel knife, nearly a foot long. "See this bad boy? You see it, don't cha? Eh? I've gutted a lot of fools with this."

"Your mother must be proud."

"And I've got no problem using this on you. Leave and this won't happen."

"I'm not leaving. So go right ahead."

Espio stood completely still with hands down his side, nerves like steel. Ready to snap like a mouse trap. His eyes focused past Jeffrey, as if he wasn't important. Jeffrey gripped the knife tight in his paw.

"Cut 'em!"

"Stab that fool!"

"Get 'em Jeff!"

"Aww yeah. It's on now…"

Jeffrey thrust forward, the knife aimed at the chameleon's throat. With almost supernatural reflexes, Espio grabbed and twisted the bear's wrist with his left hand, forcibly disarming the knife. The chameleon quickly followed up with a vicious open-palm jab to the throat, making the bear fall over like a chopped redwood tree.

He couldn't scream if he wanted to. Jeffrey held his throat with both hands, gagging and gasping for air. The blinding pain combined with the jarring impact rendered him nearly impossible to speak. The moisture forming in his reddening eyes said it all.

Espio resumed walking down the street as if nothing happened. Just a speed bump in his path. He didn't even look back. Jeffrey's four buddies came to his aid. They glanced at the chameleon, having second thoughts about attacking him. If he could incapacitate their big boss in three seconds flat, who knows what he could do them.

The ninja continued down the street, being careful not to draw attention. Espio noticed a pair of sneakers hanging on a power line above. There was 214th Ave on the left, just as the source said. Ray's home was on the right side, seventh one down.

He maintained his cool as he came near the residence. The house was pretty small, no more than two bedroom by the look of it. Yard was well maintained. Closed blinds covered all the windows. Seems like Ray wasn't too fond of company. Espio knocked on the door and waited. No answer. He knocked a second time. Again, no answer. He knocked for the third and final time. Still, nothing.

Whether Ray wasn't home or intentionally avoiding him, he was going to enter the house one way or another. Normally, Espio wouldn't enter a person's house without permission, but this is Sonic's murder we're talking about. Not to mention the squirrel definitely had a connection with his lost friend, Mighty.

With a quick pick of the lock, he opened the door with a slight creak.

_**Chapter 4 is next…**_


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 – A New Player**

_Ray knew something. He had to have known something. Vector hasn't seen him in years and I don't know the guy, yet he suddenly appeared after Sonic's murder. I refuse to believe it was just a coincidence. I'm not buying it. And talk about making a first impression. That squirrel was, pardon my language, an arrogant prick. For some reason, he starts copping this smart-ass attitude towards me. I'm certain he's never met me before in his life, but somehow he feels like he can treat me like I'm some punk. Shooting off at the mouth. Ignoring my questions. Insulting my intelligence. I'll tell you this though. He was lucky last time. I consider myself a patient person, but my patience only goes so far. And he was dancing right on the borderline. As Vector would say, he was one step away from getting the taste slapped out of his mouth. _

_If it wasn't for the fact that Vector mentioned that Ray knew Mighty, I wouldn't have had to deal with him. I wouldn't have given him a second look. But he does have a connection with my missing friend. And now here I am, about to enter his house without his consent. I know it may seem like a brash and headstrong method of doing things, but we have a case to solve. Who is Sonic's murderer? Where is Mighty? I have a feeling that Ray holds the keys to both of these locked doors. Whether he likes it or not, I will get the information…_

Espio locked the front door as soon as he entered the premises. The interior was noticeably darker than the outside world, courtesy of the closed blinds. It gave the house a bit of a gloomy atmosphere. Just like the yard, the house was surprisingly clean and organized. There was a hint of potpourri in the air, most likely coming from the carpet freshener.

"Ray." Espio called out.

There was no response.

"I'm inside your house. If you're here, come on out."

Still, there was not a sound.

Espio's heightened senses couldn't help but detect that something was wrong here. Something just didn't feel right. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. The ninja thought that since Ray didn't seem to be around, he put it upon himself to investigate the house.

He entered the living room first. He examined through the two medium-sized couches, the coffee table, and the entertainment center with the efficiency that only Espio can perform. He was careful in placing the objects back in their correct positions. Other than some loose change and a few DVDs, there was nothing to write home about.

The kitchen was next on the agenda. The refrigerator was scarce, containing only a few takeout boxes, soda, and a carton of milk. Freezer was even more desolate, an ice tray and some popsicles. Dishware was stacked neatly in the overhead cabinets. Sink was empty. Counter and floors were spotless. Not a thing stood out.

Espio abruptly came to a halt soon after he left the kitchen. He stood still for a moment, eyes darting about. The ninja had the nagging notion again that all was not well. That something just didn't fit. He shook his head and continued into the bathroom.

The toilet and bathtub were positively grime-free. A stick of deodorant, a comb, and a bottle of rather expensive cologne was stored in the medicine cabinet. Ray knew that you can't just be appealing to the eyes; you have to be appealing to the nose as well. Once again, the room was clean. And that's the thing that's been troubling Espio the most. Everything was clean. Too clean.

Now this ought to yield some interesting results. The ninja was now in Ray's bedroom. A ceiling fan whirred quietly. The squirrel's past friendship with Sonic and Mighty was apparent right away. There was a large framed portrait of the trio sitting on the nightstand. Espio moved close and gazed at the picture for a few moments. The three certainly looked happy together, smiling and making goofy poses inside a photo booth. The chameleon almost drifted down memory lane himself, recalling the times he and Mighty spent as best buds. Espio immediately snapped out of it and explored the rest of the room. Ray was a rock/metal enthusiast judging by the CD collection. So far, it seemed that this whole investigation was a bust. There was no incriminating evidence of any sort...until Espio checked under Ray's twin-size bed. And found the mother load.

The ninja pulled out a medium-sized black briefcase, hard as steel with a smooth, glossy surface. Espio gave it a quick look over before turning to its top side. Very light. Whatever was inside must've been very valuable, because there was an eight-digit lock preventing access. Usually briefcases had only three-digit locks, but not this one. Espio contemplated whether or not he should invade the squirrel's privacy. He didn't have to ponder very long. Besides, it was part of the detective's job, examining potential evidence.

Espio obviously didn't know the code, so he tried picking the lock instead. If he could pick a door, he can pick a briefcase…right? Wrong. This was no ordinary luggage. Even with careful precision, the lock wouldn't snap. He could have the sharpest eyes and most thorough handling in the world, but still…the briefcase wouldn't open.

Twenty five minutes and six broken lock picks later, he hasn't made any progress whatsoever. One travel-sized impenetrable fortress. Espio was determined though, and he pulled out another lock pick. Before trying again, the sound of a car engine just outside the house has halted his progress. The chameleon poked his head out from Ray's room as the noise died down…and then silence. He could feel it. The calm before the storm.

The front door was forcibly kicked open and Espio ducked, still peeking ever so slightly from behind the bedroom door. He watched closely as four raccoons entered the house, all slicked out in black, three-piece suits and sunglasses. Three of them were armed with automatic pistols. The big, burly one standing in the doorway had a shotgun and wasn't afraid to use it.

An alert Espio focused on the strangers, trying to determine who those raccoons were. He didn't recognize them. At first glance, he thought they were the police. But the cops couldn't dress that well, not on their best day.

"Marcus, guard the door. If he tries to escape, knock him out." The shortest one ordered, the leader it seems.

"Gotcha."

"Kevin, check the east side of the house."

"Right."

"Ashton, you check the west side."

"Yep."

"I'll check the living room and kitchen. The boss doesn't give a damn what you do to this place. Turn the damn house upside down if you have to. Just find the briefcase."

"The briefcase…" Espio silently muttered, looking back at the object on Ray's bed. "Shoot…"

"He wants Ray alive, right Joey?"

"Right. Don't kill the squirrel bastard. If we find 'em, we'll make 'em squeal about where the briefcase is….oh, and if you find someone else other than Ray here, kill 'em on the spot. The boss doesn't need witnesses complicating things."

"Got it."

Espio crept back into the bedroom, taking a quiet deep breath.

"Alright. Heh. This oughtta be fun."

"Indeed indeed. Let's start searching."

Joey didn't waste any time dismantling the living room. The raccoon removed the couch cushions and threw them aside. He knocked the coffee table and lamps over, and tore the blinds apart. DVDs were swept away and he fired his pistol into the television set, shattering the tube. Yeah, he was that thorough.

Espio had to think fast. Somehow, someway, he had to find a means of escaping the house alive with the briefcase in his possession. He couldn't let them have it. It was apparent that the object was of utter importance. For all he knew, it could very well close the case.

He could hear footsteps closing in. They were on the move. Espio spotted a window out of Ray's bedroom. He tried to open it. He pulled the handle with all his might but he couldn't. It wouldn't budge. The ninja placed the briefcase under the bed and took another tiny peek out of the bedroom. He caught a glimpse of Joey wrecking the kitchen as well as the shotgun-toting tower of muscle, Marcus, standing in the only doorway out of here.

Espio slowly closed and locked the door, securing himself in the bedroom…temporarily at least. The chameleon quickly turned his head as he heard some noise in the adjacent room. Ashton was searching through the bathroom, pistol gripped tightly in his hand. Itchy trigger finger poised. Espio could hear various objects being thrown to the floor.

He knew he didn't have much time left. It was only a matter of moments before Ray's room was next. Espio lightly tapped on the window. Acrylic glass, considerably stronger than regular glass. Trying to shatter it would be an exercise in futility. Instead, he unsheathed his edge knife. He would try to cut a hole big enough for him to go through. Better hurry.

Espio grasped the handle with both hands. He carefully aimed the knife's tip against the window, and then pressed as hard as he could. After several seconds of concentrated pressure, the knife penetrated the glass. The ninja began a sawing motion across the window. Inch by inch, he was making progress. But Espio had barely begun when he heard the doorknob rattle.

"Locked door eh? Well well!"

"Damn…" Espio mumbled.

The doorknob rattled again, followed by a pounding on the door. It was constantly kicked and shoved. The doorknob twisted again and again.

"What's goin' on, Ashton?"

"Door's locked. Looks like someone's in here."

"Stand back. I'll handle it."

Espio became edgy as he heard two pistol rounds fire at the doorknob, knocking it to the floor. Great. Two goons with pistols were about to come in the room. He has to make a choice and fast. His life depended on it.

Joey and Ashton burst into the room with handguns ready, primed to shoot at any potential targets. But there was not a soul in sight.

"Heh. Guess no one's in here."

"Search the room. Bastard's gotta be hiding. And don't forget about the briefcase."

"I know, I know."

Unfortunately, Joey was right. He was hiding. Espio was actually under the twin-size bed, lying within the darkness. In his right hand was the briefcase. The ninja lay still with bated breath, watching the two pair of feet begin to move around the room. Various objects were tossed to the floor as they shred the room apart. Espio watched Ashton open the closet…and found nothing. Suddenly, the raccoon turned around and kneeled right in front of the bed, mere inches from Espio's face. His body instantly tensed up. He knew full well he was about to be found.

Ashton put his hand under the bed and reached around. He touched Espio's forehead, and the raccoon immediately pulled back his hand in shock.

"Gah!"

"What's wrong?"

"There's something under the bed. It felt…really weird."

"Really. Did you see what it was?"

"No…"

"Did you even look?"

"No…"

"Then look, stupid!"

Ashton glanced under the bed, and was pleasantly surprised at what he discovered. And it wasn't Espio.

"Found the briefcase!"

"Good. Now grab it."

Thank the lord that Espio was born a chameleon. If he hadn't camouflaged himself just now, he would've been discovered. Ashton tried to pull the briefcase out from under the bed, but the ninja had a tight grip on it. He wasn't letting it go that easy.

"Something's wrong with this briefcase! It's stuck!"

"Stuck? Whaddya mean it's stuck?"

"It's…not…moving." Ashton grunted, rapidly pulling on the luggage.

"What? Lemme try."

Ashton moved aside as Joey reached under for the briefcase. He got a good hold on it and pulled with a strong tug, again and again. But Espio prevented it from budging a single inch.

"Told ya."

"Hmph. What the hell? What is it stuck to?" Joey pondered.

"I dunno. What do we do now?"

Both Ashton and Joey looked under the bed once more. All they saw was the briefcase sitting there on the floor, plain as day.

Ashton looked puzzled. "I don't get it."

"Me neither. Let's move the bed. Should be easier to see what's going on."

"Yeah."

The two raccoons each grabbed a side and hoisted the bed up. Slowly but surely, they moved the heavy piece of furniture toward the other side of the room. At this point, Espio knew he had to give up the briefcase. There was no way he can hang on to it now that he's out in the open. The black suits would undoubtedly come into contact with him if he stayed there. He simply couldn't carry it with him in camouflage form. A floating piece of luggage would more than just arouse suspicion. Even if he did slip out of the bedroom with it, there's still the matter of Marcus with the shotgun and Kevin roaming around somewhere. Overall, it was too risky. Not worth it.

The concealed Espio stood up and slowly backed up toward the wall, leaving the briefcase on the floor. Moments later, Joey tried again. He bent down and picked it up with ease. Both he and Ashton were a bit stunned.

"Okayyyy… that was odd." Joey commented as he examined it.

"Yeah. Very."

"At any rate, we got what we came for. Let's head back."

Espio remained a statue as the two met up with Marcus at the front door. Joey whistled, summoning Kevin to join the clique.

"We got the briefcase gentlemen. Let's move out."

The shade-donning raccoons didn't hesitate. They hightailed it out of there in a sleek and sporty black car, zooming down the street. Espio managed to sneak a look of the vehicle through the window.

Noah. To the average citizen, that name may not mean much to them. Some might identify the name to the man who put breeding pairs of animals on the Ark to save them from God's Deluge. But to Station Square's underground crime world, Noah is synonymous with fear. There's a valid reason for that simile. It is the most powerful and respected crime organization in the last sixteen years. This infamous entity controls nearly fifty percent of the drug trafficking in the city, and it continues to grow at a steady rate. They have more than enough wealth, the manpower, and the methods to crush any rival syndicate that dares to impede their business. Many have challenged Noah's might…only to fall into obscurity. It didn't matter if you were a man or woman, human or furry, eight or eighty years old. If you so much as slang your dope on their territory, or something as simple as flash a defiant eye in their direction, you were marked for death. Once Noah perceives you as a legitimate threat, you disappeared. You no longer exist. Simple as that.

Noah has imported and exported illegal trade goods with foreign suppliers the world over before Sonic was even born. Multi-million dollar deals and propositions are the typical mode of operation. Noah has become a recognized handle among the black market brokers and traders of continents from afar. The majority of the drug productions are performed in residential basements, farms, and outdoor gardens, inconspicuous locations where the long arm of law wouldn't bother to reach. You wouldn't know it, but Noah's influence over Station Square may be a larger issue than you think. Aside from the usual internal assortment of hit men and thugs keeping potential adversaries in check, there could be a crooked police officer, a corrupt politician, or even your algebra teacher that also have a secret connection with the criminal empire. Money, as they say, is the root of all evil. It's frightening how much it can manipulate the mind. You can never know who to trust…

And this man…this one single man…is the founder…the one responsible for the establishment of Noah. The start of an organization that's operated on money, fear, and respect.

Gustave Marciano. A 36 year old raccoon with a cool, calculated exterior…and an even colder heart. He is the patriarch of the Marciano family. The Don. The head honcho. And he certainly knew how to look the part. It was common for the raccoon to dress in thousand dollar-plus suits, complete with gold cufflinks and a white rose in his front pocket. He was indeed a businessman. Gustave has always been a classical music aficionado, spending many moments daily just sitting back and letting the music flow through his pointed ears. He possesses quite a collection from the greats such as Beethoven, Mozart, and Strauss. Gustave shows little or no emotion whether he is operating in family or business. You'd be hard pressed to see him chuckle, much less even crack a smile. The lord of a criminal empire cannot afford to be sentimental, not in the slightest.

Just as Espio was a child prodigy in the ninjitsu arts. Gustave was a child prodigy in business and intimidation. He was quite proficient in the art of trading, even before his age reached the double digits. The raccoon's also got quite a silver tongue on him, able to effortlessly tell anything from a little white lie to a flat out tall tale. You'd be amazed how many people he could deceive with his slickly fabricated stories. With his natural born talent, the raccoon could sell water to a fish, steak to a vegetarian, snow to a polar bear. Indeed, a bonafide hustler. Gustave wasn't necessarily big or strong. Nope, quite the opposite. He was probably one of the smallest kids in the neighborhood…and since he was brought up in a rough town, it made him an easy target for bullies. But what he lacked for in strength, he more than made up for in money. He hired kids twice his age to be his bodyguards. Needless to say, no one dared to cross his path again. At such a young age, Gustave learned that when you get the money, you get the power, and then you get the respect. Once he was introduced to the lucrative drug trade at the age of fifteen, the very foundation of Noah has been laid down…

Inside a spacious mansion deep in the heart of Station Square, Mr. Marciano stood in his master bedroom. The eloquent sounds of Blue Danube by Strauss blessed his eardrums. Gustave closed his eyes and savored the musical euphoria flowing through his body, waving his arms in tune with the melody as if he were a maestro.

Another raccoon stormed into the room, carrying a certain object in his hand.

"Mr. Marciano sir! Some good news!"

Gustave had a blank expression as he pushed the pause button on the CD player.

"This had better be important, Joey."

"Yes Boss, it is!"

"Take off your sunglasses when you're in my presence."

He complied. "Sorry Sir…I keep forgetting."

"Now…what is this 'good news' that you had to inform me about?"

The eager hooligan picked up the object from behind him and lifted it the air.

"You retrieved the briefcase it seems."

"Yes sir! Found it under Ray's bed."

"Good work. It would've caused even more problems than we needed if it had been permanently lost. I didn't think Ray actually had the gall to pull off something like this. Speaking of Ray, did you find him?"

"No sir, he wasn't home."

"Unfortuanate. And what about our little detective problem? Has it been taken care of?"

Joey looked off to the side. "Actually…sir…"

"It hasn't been taken care of, has it?"

"No…"

"Would you mind telling me why?"

"Actually…umm…yeah…that is to say…well…"

Gustave lightly sighed as his striped tail stood perfectly still. "On second thought, if you actually have a legitimate reason for this failure, then you may proceed. If this is going to be another one of those useless rants of your ineptitude, then just stop now and spare me the headache."

Joey swallowed a lump. He didn't say a word.

"I figured as much."

"Sorry boss…"

"And what about the 'Exile'? Has anyone discovered his location?"

"No…"

"Hmm. I see you're batting a thousand today. That moron…he's going to be the reason for Noah's downfall. It's only a matter of time before those Chaotix trace him back to us…"

"What do you want us to do, boss?"

"The Ray situation has been resolved. No need to worry about him. We got the briefcase back. I want you and the gang to track down the Chaotix and kill them before they get too close."

"Are the Chaotix really that big of a threat?"

"Yes Joey, yes they are. Do not, and I cannot stress this enough, do not underestimate them. Do you realize how many criminals they've landed in jail?"

"Okay. And the exile?"

Gustave rubbed his chin, organizing his thoughts. "Kill him too. I want all connections leading Sonic's murder to us severed and buried."

"Right, boss."

"Know this. I want the Chaotix and the exile to be finished. No more. I will be damned if my entire empire goes under because of them. Do you understand?"

"Yes, boss."

"Now go. Hunt them down. The next time I see your face in here, you had better be giving me good news."

"Yes Mr. Marciano. They will be gone before you know it. Count on that."

"I certainly hope so, for your sake."

Joey bowed down in respect before taking his leave. Gustave composed himself before pushing the play button on the CD player. Blue Danube resumed and the raccoon was the maestro once again, eyes closed and fully absorbed in orchestral harmony.

3:34 pm. Vector entered Sonic Boom on 82nd street. This small, but popular store sold a vast selection of music genres on CDs, including rock, metal, hardcore, reggae, jazz, pop, hip-hop, techno, dance, country, gospel, and classical. The crocodile was totally diggin' the nightclub vibe, with the colorful neon lights jazzing up the shadowy surroundings.

He was immediately greeted by a human named Mike, who was in charge of security. He wore a black dress shirt with khaki pants, just like every other employee at Sonic Boom. Must be a dress code.

"Vector Crocodile?"

He nodded. "Yeah, that's me."

"Hey there. Name's Mike. I'm head of security here in Sonic Boom." He greeted, and the two shook hands.

"What's up dude? You got the tapes right?"

"Yeah. They're ready to go whenever you're ready to review them."

"I'm ready. Let's get crackin' on this."

Mike directed Vector to a room, located behind the customer service register. The room itself was rather small, about nine by nine feet. A single monitor showed the store in its entirety under surveillance.

"Okay Vector. This is our security office. As you see here, just about everything in the store is under watch."

Mike pointed to the wooden table, where a thirteen inch television with a built-in VCR sat. A massive collection of videos were stacked beside it.

"Here are the tapes. A month's worth. It's taken from the main camera, located high at the back wall of the store. Great vantage point. Nearly the entire store can be seen."

Vector sat down and made himself comfortable. His tail drooped through the hole in the chair.

"We received the shipment of that single. 'I Say a Little Prayer for You' was it?"

"Yeah."

"We received it on July 18. So all these tapes are from that day to August 14, which is now. One for each day. A tape is kept for ninety days before it's disposed of."

"You know what the CD looks like?"

"Yes. I've looked it up. The cover looks like a blue sky with some clouds. There's a crude drawing of a hand reaching up toward it. So that's what you should be looking for. We can zoom in on any point of the screen if you need to."

"Very cool. Alright, let's get this party started."

Vector inserted the first tape into the VCR. The device whirred and clicked as it loaded up. A black and white screen appeared. The date 'July 18' and time '8:58 am' appeared in the lower left-hand corner.

"Our store is open from 9am to 8pm. 10am to 7pm on Sundays. It'll be faster just to fast forward through the empty parts."

Mike pointed toward the very lower-right corner of the screen. "That's the gospel section right there, in the last aisle toward the back. That's where the single is stocked. So keep your eyes there."

Vector fast-forwarded through the day, slowing down to regular speed only when customers occupied that certain area. Only a few customers stopped there, but no one picked up the disc. July 18's tape was finished.

July 19 was even slower. The crocodile focused on that one spot as he blazed through the day. Again, no one even gave it a second look.

July 25 was different however. At 2:42 pm, an old lady with ungodly wrinkles and snow white hair picked it up. Vector sat up and ran the tape at normal speed. The woman closely examined it with squinty eyes, only to put it back. The crocodile slouched back down and resumed the fast forward.

July 29. 11:33 am. A man and a woman, husband and wife probably, browsed through the gospel music. Meh…

July 30. 5:09 pm. An otter, looking preteen, picked up the single and began walking toward the register. Vector leaned in and watched closely. The otter stopped and gave the disc a second look, then returned it to its rightful spot. Guess he changed his mind.

August 4. 7:23pm. Vector had hit paydirt. Both he and Mike paid the television their undivided attention. He ran the video at normal speed when he saw a rather short figure slowly approaching the area. Just casually walking with hands in pockets. The thing is, it was dressed in a loose trench coat, complete with an old-fashioned bowler hat. A scarf and a pair of sunglasses covered its face. The two couldn't tell what its gender was, or if it was human or not, or if it was an adult or child. The person sure knew how to cover up very well.

"Now that's a suspicious cat if I ever saw one." Vector commented.

Mike agreed. "Definitely."

Eyes continued to watch close as the stranger picked up the single in its gloved hand, and headed toward the back corner. The only other customer in the store at the time was five aisles away. The lone employee there was busy organizing merchandise at the register.

The crocodile touched the screen. "Zoom in on the guy."

The man pushed a button. Four times the zoom was applied. There was a clear view of the person digging into its pocket, and then pulled out a knife.

"And we have our culprit." Mike commented.

"Hmm?"

"He's gonna cut the case open and take the CD out."

And that the person did. With a few quick swipes, the disc was easily taken out and placed in the pocket along with the knife. The case was left in the corner.

Vector shook his head. "Son of a bitch…"

The visitor walked out of the store as indifferently as he walked in.

"It's a common practice among thieves." Mike told him. "There's a built-in device in the CD case. When it goes through the detector at the door, the detector beeps, alerting the staff. If you pay for the CD at the register like you're SUPPOSED to, the cashier deactivates the device so it won't trigger the alarm when you leave the store. Guy's pretty smart too. It probably has that getup on because it knew the cameras were watching."

Vector stood up and stretched out. "Didn't want to be identified."

"Exactly."

"Well…at any case….this has certainly been a bummer. We still don't know who stole the CD."

"If it's any consolation, at least you know when and where it happened."

"I guess. Don't know how it'll help with the case though."

Mike shrugged. "You never know."

Vector shook his hand. "Anyways, thanks for the tapes."

"It's no problem at all. If I see anything suspicious, I'll be sure to contact you." Mike opened the door. "See you later Vector."

"See ya."

6:55 pm. Darkness had nearly fallen over Station Square. Inside the Waffle Hut, Charmy had been pacing back and forth anxiously in front of the counter. He was the only patron there at the moment. Ever since that black car pursued him earlier today, the bee has been one nervous wreck. Who could blame him? He kept watching the window, on the lookout for the black car.

Charmy looked at the clock. It was now seven o'clock on the dot.

"Okay...okay…they should be here any second now…"

"You need a glass of water?" the cashier asked. "You look pretty tense."

He shook his head. "No…no. I'm…I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

He shook his head again. "Yeah."

Charmy froze up and his stomach jumped every time a black car passed by the restaurant. He felt that at any time, a bunch of strangers would jump out one of them and chase after him again.

The bee nearly had a heart attack when the door opened. Very much to his relief, Espio and Vector entered the restaurant. He instantly rushed over to the crocodile and embraced him in a hug, tears beginning to form in his eyes.

"Whoa whoa Charms…you okay?"

The child started choking up, emotional pressure building up. "I…I…"

"Charms? Talk to me man."

Charmy buried his face in Vector's stomach and let out a good weep. Espio slightly frowned. He never did like seeing people cry.

"Aww Charms…" the reptile gently patted him on the back. "Don't cry man. Dude. You know what happens when you cry…you're gonna make me cry..."

"What happened?" the ninja asked.

Charmy didn't answer. He was too busy sobbing his heart out.

"You want an apple waffle, Charms? Hmm? You want one buddy? I'll buy you an apple waffle, and then you can tell us what's wrong. But you gotta stop crying. Okay?"

He toned down the water works, but didn't answer.

"Okay?"

The bee eventually nodded. "Mmm hmm…"

"Atta boy."

Fifteen minutes later the three sat at a table again, away from the windows at Charmy's request. Their meals were a repeat of what they had in the morning. As usual, Espio had the least, Vector had the most, and Charmy was smack dab in the middle.

The chameleon consumed a blueberry. "So how'd things go on your end, Vector?"

"Oh man, you wouldn't believe it Espy. I went to 'The Beat', right?"

"Pierce's place?"

"Yeah. I used the phone to call the music stores in the city. Found out that a store called 'Sonic Boom' had that CD single within the last month, but someone stole it. Before I could go there, this slick black car pulled up to the store and just started shootin' up the place."

"My God…"

"I know, man. The car's been following me for several blocks. If Pierce hadn't pushed me to the ground, I would've been swiss cheese. Dude saved my life."

"Do you know who did it?"

"Naw. Car got away pretty damn quick. Couldn't catch any faces."

"A black car…" the bee said to himself.

Espio turned his head. "You know something Charmy?"

"A black car….a black car was following me earlier today while I was in Amy's neighborhood."

"You too?" Vector asked. "Did they try to kill you?"

"I dunno. I started running as fast as I could. I heard some people yelling after me. They told me to stop. I…I didn't look back. I…I… just kept…running. Just…"

"Charms…relax… Did they catch you?"

"Mmm mmm. I flew up and hid on the roof of a house until they left."

Espio sipped on hot tea. "Well I'm just glad to hear you're safe. Did you see their faces?"

"No…"

"Did you get any new clues?"

"No…"

"Okay. So anyway Vector, you ever find out who stole that CD?"

"Eh…not really. Guy was covered in a whole bunch of clothing. I couldn't tell." Vector sipped some orange soda through a straw. "So how about you, Espy? You ever find Ray?"

"He wasn't home, though I did get a lot more than I bargained for."

"Details, man. Details."

"Where do I begin…well…first off, Ray wasn't home, so I let myself in. I decided to do a bit of investigating. Turns out he had a briefcase under the bed. I couldn't open it because of a number lock, so I tried using a lockpick. Didn't work either. Then all of a sudden, a bunch of goons bust right into the house. A group of raccoons armed with weapons."

Vector simply stared. "Raccoons?"

"Yes. All dressed in black suits and shades. They were looking for the briefcase I found. Don't know why, but they wanted it. I wanted to escape with it but I was outnumbered and outgunned. Even with my camouflage, it was too risky. I left it for them to take it. I caught a glimpse of them getting away in a black car."

"Ha! You saw a black car too? Tell me you're kidding."

"Does it look like I'm kidding?"

"Very interesting stuff, Espy. Wonder what was in the briefcase though…heh…all three of us saw these black cars. They must be some part of criminal gang or something."

"Most likely…" Espio sat up and looked over the table, noticing something. "What are you doing?"

Vector quickly put his hands down on his lap. "Hmm? What?"

"I said what're you doing."

"Nothin'."

"I saw you writing something on a piece of paper. What is that?"

"I said it's nothing."

"Vector, stop playing around. What is that?"

"It's none of your business awright?"

"None of my business? Excuse me?"

"You heard right. It's none of your damn business. Can ya give a man a little privacy?"

Espio raised his hands in defense. "Hey. Whatever. You're right. It's none of my damn business. Sorry I asked."

After a few awkward moments of silence, Charmy finished up his meal. "So what do we do now?"

The chameleon shrugged. "I don't know…I'm not too sure at the moment. All three of us saw black cars during our assignments. I assume they're all driven by raccoons. Judging by you and Vector's encounters with them, they're not real big fans of us."

"You think?" Vector finished his meal in second place, which was highly unusual. "They have to be involved with Sonic's murder. In fact, I'm willing to bet that they're afraid we're gonna track them down."

Espio cut a piece of waffle with the fork. "Pretty bold statement…"

Vector's cell phone suddenly vibrated, and he picked up. "Hello? Hey what's up? Uh-huh…what? WHAT? Oh geez…oh geez…okay…thanks man. See ya. Bye."

"Who was that? That sounded bad." Charmy asked.

"It was Pierce. Something really, really terrible just happened at the Chaotix Agency. We gotta leave on the double."

Charmy's mouth gaped open.

"Check please!" Espio instantly shouted with two fingers raised.

Soon, the three were out of the restaurant and rushed toward their house of operations. Night had come. The closer they moved to their destination, the more they began to realize what had happened. Sirens started to wail. The trio began to smell the smoke in the air.

They had arrived on the corner of 3rd and Baker, and it was just as they feared. What the hell. Before a crowd of spectators in awe was the Chaotix Agency, consumed in flames.

_**Chapter 5 is next…**_


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 – Preparations**

_If only I could wake up right now and realize this was only a nightmare. But there was no such luck. We stood there, witnessing the fire roaring into the night. The cold hard reality is that…it's gone. As we watched a part of our lives, the Chaotix Agency, literally go up in flames, we realized one important thing. There was no need to guess who was responsible. It's obvious now. It's those damn raccoons. Whoever they are, they are serious business. They play for keeps. From stalking, to tearing a house to shreds, to attempted murder, these mysterious adversaries have been a major threat to not only our case, but to our very lives._

_Now that the raccoons have intervened, we are going to take this case in a new direction. Vector, Charmy, and I are positive that these guys are involved with Sonic's murder. We'll have to keep a close eye on their movements and track them down to the source. Ever since the death of our blue hero, it feels like everything's going into a downward spiral. Things just keep getting worse. I wonder what was in the briefcase that was so important to the raccoons. And what was Ray doing with it? Mighty still remains a very big question mark. Of course, Sonic's killer is the number one priority, but my missing companion is a close second…_

Espio, Vector, and Charmy were bathed in a hot orange glow; as they watched the blaze consume their agency. It was only a matter of time before it would become nothing more than overcooked rubble.

"Aww man…" Vector shook his head. "This blows, man. This really, really blows."

"Our…home…do you…do you think it was those…?" Charmy asked.

Espio nodded. "Without a doubt. It's those raccoons. Looks like they're giving us a message."

"A message, Espy?"

"Yeah. A message. And it's speaking loud and clear right now. They're telling us that our days are numbered. That we're next on their hit list."

A saddened Charmy sat on Vector's shoulder. "So…everything's gone…huh."

"Not quite everything." Espio replied. "Our money stash is still intact, inside the fireproof safe. I knew it would come in handy."

Vector's face brightened and he jumped, almost knocking Charmy off his shoulder. "Ohhh yeeeeah! That's right! That's right! I forgot all about that safe. Cooool!"

"In any event, we cannot waste more time in solving this mystery. The longer it takes, the more danger we'll be in. We have to find the leader of this raccoon gang and make him talk."

The crocodile looked over at the ninja. "And how are we gonna do that? We don't even know who this guy is or where he resides."

"The same way we've always done it."

"_Psst…"_

Hearing a soft voice from somewhere, the Chaotix trio looked to their left…and didn't see anybody.

"_Psst…"_

The three looked to their right. There were the spectators, but none of them seemed interested in getting their attention.

"_Behind you."_

The clique followed the more-than-subtle hint and gazed toward the alleyway. They could barely make out a figure standing within the darkness.

"Who are you?" Espio asked.

"Shh! Get over here! And make sure no one's looking!"

Espio, Charmy, and Vector looked all around the bustling streets. None of the nearby people looked at them; they appeared to be concentrating on the fire. Once the coast seemed clear, they slinked into the narrow passageway.

"Now, who are you?" Espio asked again.

"Shh! Keep your voice down!"

The chameleon entered whisper mode. "There. Happy?"

"Much."

"Now, for the third time, who are you?"

The enigma stood before them, obviously wanting to keep a low profile. He was a furry, standing at about Vector's height. He was dressed in an oversized gray hooded sweater with a round pair of shades. A pair of blue jeans and white brand-name running sneakers rounded out the package. He seemed to be going for the ordinary everyman look. But there was something about him…

"Waaaaait a second…you're a raccoon!" Charmy stated, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Hey…" Espio looked closer at him, recognizing the facial features. "He's right. What's going on here?"

Vector readied his fists, ready to throw some 'bows. "Watch out guys. This could be a trap."

"Would you all relax? Just because you see some raccoons do bad things, doesn't automatically mean all raccoons are like that. Way to stereotype, people."

They instantly became silent. He was right, you know.

"Sorry." Espio eventually uttered.

"I forgive you. Now take it easy, I'm on your side."

"I didn't catch your name."

"That's because I didn't throw it. You can call me…Mouse."

Vector wore a strange expression. "Mouse?"

"Yes, that's right. You may not see me much, you may not hear me much, but I get things done. Of course, it's not my real name. For confidentiality purposes, you will address me as Mouse."

"Okay…Mouse." Espio said. "Why are you helping us?"

"I've noticed those raccoons are giving you a hard time. With the shooting of the music store and setting your agency on fire."

Vector hissed. "Yeah. They're not exactly gonna be on our Christmas card list."

"And they didn't appear until after the death of Sonic, which leads me to believe they've had some hand in it."

"Heh. I agree. Well…listen up. Those raccoons happen to be part of the most powerful crime organization in Station Square, aptly named 'Noah'. And they've got their sights set on digging you an early grave."

"Noah?" Espio asked.

"Yep. They're a ruthless bunch. They'll…"

Before Mouse could continue, three police cars and a fire truck had rolled up to the scene of the crime. That was his cue to vamoose.

"I'm afraid I'll have to finish this conversation later. The police aren't exactly…my thing."

The raccoon straightened out his hood and turned toward the opposite end of the alleyway, away from the chaos.

Espio stepped forward. "Hey. Where are you going?"

"Meet me at the Blue Octopus restaurant tomorrow, at 10:00am sharp. We'll resume the discussion there. You know where that is, right?"

"Yeah yeah. We know." Charmy answered.

"Great. I'll see you guys there. Don't forget."

Mouse walked at a brisk pace down the pathway and turned the corner, immediately vanishing from sight.

Vector scratched his snout. "Think we can trust him?"

"I'm not sure. But I think it's best if we keep our guard up, just in case."

Firefighters were already on the job, unraveling the massive water hose from the big yellow truck. With a few verbal signals the H2O was flowing and quenching out the flames bit by bit. While they were doing their business, Chief Abrams and fellow officers stepped outside their police cars and waited.

Vector waved at the man. "S'up Chief."

"Ahh…hey there fellas. Good to see you again. Sorry about your agency."

Espio sighed. "It happens. But at least the money's still intact. It's locked in a safe. As soon as the fire's out, I'm gonna go retrieve it." 

"Is that right? At least it's not a total loss. So how goes the case? You got any leads?"

"According to a source, a big criminal organization may be involved. It's a reasonable explanation, but we have yet to see how reliable the source is."

"A criminal organization…wow…sounds very dangerous. I'd be really careful if I were you."

"Oh we know. We've had some experience already…"

Several moments later the fire was completely extinguished, leaving behind a smoking heap. A job well done. Literally. The fire truck zoomed off down the road. Espio was a little disheartened at first seeing the agency being reduced to what it was, but now it only gave him another reason to solve the case, to bring these lowdown thugs before the judge.

"I'll be right back." The ninja told Abrams.

"Careful. There may be some hot stuff still in there."

Espio entered the building, nimbly jumping over any potentially dangerous obstacles. The walls and floor were charred black. Heat and humidity still lingered, putting pressure on his senses. He entered the office and there it was, behind the burned desk, the safe. But…

"What? It's gone!"

The safe appeared to be busted open. Nothing was inside. They were robbed. An upset chameleon met up with the others outside.

"You got it Espy?"

"No. The money's gone. It's all gone."

"What?! Whaddya mean it's gone?!"

"Like I said, it's GONE. They burned our agency and stole our cash."

Vector shook his head. "Aw HELL no…they're definitely gonna get ass-whoopins for sure…"

"Err…sorry about your agency and your money." Abrams said. "Once things cool down, we're going to investigate the agency to determine the cause of the fire...and the robbery. Did you notice anything out of the ordinary while you were in there?"

"Other than a roasted agency and being broke, no."

"Fair enough. Was there anything else you needed to do while you're here?"

"Sigh...no. I'm set. How about you Vector? Charmy?"

"Naw, I'm cool." 

"I'm cool too…"

"Alright then. G'night you guys. See you around."

The three said their goodbyes and left the officers to do their work. As they walked down the street, Espio noticed the time on a huge digital clock overlooking a pizzeria.

"It's almost nine…you guys wanna call it a night?"

Vector yawned, showing his rows of sharp teeth. "Yeah…I think I will. All this running around is starting to tucker me out…how about you, Charms?"

The bee leaned on the crocodile's shoulder, dozing in and out. He was almost out like a light.

"Yeah…he's about to crash too. It's been one crazy day."

"Tell me about it. Okay, it's settled then. Let's get ourselves some shut-eye. And remember, we need to meet Mouse at the Blue Octopus tomorrow. 10am sharp. Don't be late. He might have some crucial information for us."

In his soft bed, Gustave groaned as he lay on his stomach. He was on the receiving end of a very soothing and therapeutic massage. When it came to relieving stress, you couldn't ask for much more. The young woman's tiny, nimble fingers combed through the gray fur on the raccoon's back and shoulders. She pressed and rubbed at just the right spots. The tension dissipated. Gustave closed his eyes and sighed; almost taking delight in the affair. Even for a moment, all the pressures of the day seemed to melt away.

"Ohh…you're good…you're so so good…" he uttered through his sighs.

The woman smiled. "Only for you, Mr. Marciano."

"Lower."

She followed the simple command. "Better?"

"More."

Her constantly moving hands moved further south. "There?"

"Yes…much better."

On the nightstand sat Gustave's cell phone. It suddenly emitted a ring tone, which was Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. The lady waited several seconds before she picked up.

"Hello. This is the Marciano residence. Mary speaking. Mmm hmm. It's for you."

"Who is it?"

"Mr. Giamatti."

"Put it on speaker."

Mary pressed a button and set the phone back on the nightstand. She resumed in massaging his back.

"Hello James."

"_Hey Gustave."_

"And what do I owe this pleasure, Mr. Giamatti?"

"_Bah…you got me on that speakerphone again, don't you?"_

"Maybe."

"_What're you doing that's so important that you can't talk on the phone with me?"_

"Don't worry about it. You got your business. I got mine….mmm…"

"_What was that? Are you okay?"_

"I'm fine. Now what is the reason for this phone call?"

"_I'm just calling to reaffirm that the negotiation set for tomorrow is still on, right?"_

"Correct."

"_Okay…I was…just making sure...that's all."_

"You sound troubled. What's wrong?"

"_Nothing's wrong."_

"Come on. Out with it."

"_Okay. It's just that…well…you're the lord of one of the world's top criminal empires, and that…that…I don't know…something…just doesn't feel right…"_

"You're saying you don't trust me?"

"_No no…it's not that…it's just…I don't know….you've been known to do some pretty terrible things…I mean, I don't blame you…it's part of the territory…it's business. And well…"_

"I understand what you're saying."

"_You do?"_

"Yes, and I can respect that. It's hard to trust anyone when you're involved in the drug game, even those closest to you. When a lot of money is at stake, it tends to change a person's perspective, for better or worse."

"_Y…yes. I agree, Gustave. Thanks for understanding."_

"Forget it. Do you know how long we have been friends, James?"

"_Err…about three years. W…why?"_

"I just want to give you a little piece of advice, from one friend to another. Are you listening?"

"_Yes. Go ahead, shoot."_

"When you're in the game for as long as I have, you learn to prioritize certain aspects of your life. You have to decide which things are most important to you. Whether it's family, friends, business, love…there may be times where you reach a crossroads, where you have to make a vital decision. You may have to sacrifice one part of your life to get the other. Do you understand what I'm telling you, James?"

"_Yes. I understand. Thank you."_

"Was there anything else you needed?"

"_No…no….I'm fine, Gustave."_

"Good. In that case, I shall see you tomorrow at our designated place and time."

"_Yes. Thank you."_

"Don't mention it."

The connection ended and Mary turned off the phone. Her massage session with Gustave hardly skipped a beat. The raccoon stretched out his arms and legs, actually feeling a few years younger.

"Would you like anything else, Mr. Marciano?"

"Yes, now that you mention it. I'm in the mood for wine… A glass of vintage red wine."

"As you wish."

Mary stroked his head a few times before leaving the room. Gustave took a deep breath and exhaled as he turned over on his back.

"Worth every penny." he said to himself.

It was good to be the boss.

The next morning had arrived at Station Square. And if it's one thing that everyone in the city can agree on, it's that it's never too early to have great seafood. And when you mention great seafood, you needn't look any further than the Blue Octopus. Located by the docks off of Charlotte Bay, it offers an awe-inspiring seaside view for its patrons. It's a wonder to behold, especially at sunset. Cooked with Blue Octopus' trademark oil and simmered with its own blend of herbs and spices, its taste is one of a kind. Whether you fancy fish, shrimp, lobster, oysters, crab, or all of the above, this restaurant will undoubtedly satisfy your need for aquatic delicacies.

Espio and Charmy stood in front of the restaurant's entrance. The distinct scent of seawater wafted past their noses. The time was 10:14am. For some reason their other friend hasn't shown up yet. Odd…

"Vector's laaaate…" the bee said.

Espio looked into the distance, scanning for the big green lug. "Wonder where the heck he is. If the meeting place involves food, you know he would be on time."

"Maybe he forgot."

"I doubt that. Hmm…"

The two waited for a few more minutes, but still he didn't show.

"Maybe he's sick?" Charmy suggested.

"I don't know…but we shouldn't keep Mouse waiting any longer. If Vector shows up, we'll fill him in on the details."

The chameleon and bee entered the place and looked for their contact. It was barely past breakfast and business was already booming. Only a few empty tables were left, the rest were filled with patrons chowing down. Lobsters dipped in butter, fish sticks dunked in tartar sauce, crabs being ripped piece by piece…

There was Mouse, discreetly peeking over the menu in the back corner. The two saw him, and he nodded slightly in return. They sat down at the table with the raccoon, again he dressed in jeans, hooded sweater, sneakers, and shades. Just being ordinary.

"Were you followed?" he asked.

Espio shook his head. "No."

"I wasn't…at least I don't think so…"

"Let's hope so." He put down the menu. "Where's your crocodile friend at?"

"No idea. He didn't show. I'm thinking maybe he has an errand or something."

"I see...well let's hope that's all it is. Oh, and feel free to order something. It's on me."

"Heh. Good thing." Espio said. "Cause we were robbed last night. All the money in our safe is gone."

"No worries. I got plenty of money. I'll supply you with some."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Now pick out what you want. My treat."

The two browsed through the menu. So many things to choose from. They haven't eaten here before, so it was rather difficult.

"What would you suggest?" Espio asked.

Mouse glanced at the menu. "Butterfly Shrimp Omelet. It's really good."

"Butterfly Shrimp Omelet it is then. How about you, Charmy?"

"Yeah…I'll try that too. Looks yummy."

In a few minutes the waitress appeared at their table and took their orders. A triple serving of Butterfly Shrimp Omelet…actually, better make that four in case he showed up. Apple juice for Charmy, iced tea for Espio, milk for Mouse, orange juice for Vector. The raccoon waited until the employee left before continuing.

"Now…let's pick up where we left off. I've already told you about the crime organization named Noah and their involvement with Sonic's murder, right?"

Charmy nodded. "Yup."

"They're the biggest crime entity in Station Square right now. Illegal drug trading is increased every year. All who cross their path are met with a swift end…"

"Hold on one second." Espio said.

"Yes?"

"Before we go any further, I want to know who you are exactly."

"I beg your pardon."

"I'm just more than a little curious why a stranger that hides in the shadows and avoids police suddenly wants to help and treat us to brunch, under the 'Mouse' alias no less. I'm catching these unusual vibes from you."

"Getting help isn't enough for you?"

"I'm afraid not. What's your motive?"

Mouse sighed. He placed his elbows on the table and propped his head on his interweaved hands.

"Alright. Fine. I still won't tell you my real name but I will tell you a bit about me."

"Go ahead." 

"As you may or may not know, I was…a former associate of Noah. I used to work with them."

"I had a feeling you did." Espio commented.

"You used to work with them? Didja quit?"

"Yes I did. Like many others, I was attracted to the allure of money and power. And Noah promised those things if you were willing to be a subordinate and work on their every whim. I rose through the ranks, proving myself among my peers. I accumulated money beyond anything I thought I could ever achieve. Nine years after joining Noah, I got married. A fine, young woman named Julia. She was…a goddess. Thanks to my…job, we went on numerous trips together to countries around the world. I could provide her things that made her even happier. But…"

"But?"

"I was never proud of the work I did. I made a dishonest living. I was living a double-edged sword. I made my wife happy, but at the cost of what? Drug dealing? Vandalism? Armed robbery? Death threats? Taking lives? Now granted, the lives that I took were that of other dealers…and they probably deserved it but, but still…my hands are bloodied. A life is a life. Once Julia became pregnant, I knew it was only a matter of time before I had to change. And as soon as our first child was born, I had to do it. There was no way around it. I went to Gustave Marciano himself and told him: I wanted out."

"Who's Gustave Marciano?" Espio asked.

"The lord of Noah. He's the one who established the empire. He'll be your key objective…which I'll explain soon."

"Gustave Marciano…so he's the one…" the ninja muttered.

"Gustave was surprisingly charitable about the whole thing. He understood my situation and I made my 'honorable discharge', if you will. But I can't escape my past. He also told me that his goons will keep an eye on me from time to time. If I squeal to the police about Noah's secret operations, he will make sure my life will come to an abrupt end."

Espio continued to look at him. "So why are you helping us?"

"I guess…I'm doing this to atone for what I've done. I've contributed to the downfall of Station Square. With your help, we can take down Gustave and his empire. Prove that he was involved with Sonic's death. Make the city a better place for everyone, including my wife and son. It's the least I could do."

The waitress returned with their order. Four plates of piping hot butterfly shrimp omelettes and drinks.

"Here you go gentlemen. Enjoy your meal."

"Thanks."

As soon as she left, a certain crocodile appeared from around the corner. He waved at them before he sat down with the gang.

"Sorry I'm late, guys."

Charmy cheered. "Yaaaay! Vector, you're back!"

"Hey Charms."

Espio stuck a fork in his first shrimp. "Where the heck were you at?"

"There was something I had to take care of."

"And what would that be?"

"It's nothing to worry about, Espy."

"Just making sure you're okay, that's all."

"I am. Thank you." Vector sniffed the food. "What is this stuff anyway? Smells awesome."

Mouse cut off a piece of egg. "Butterfly Shrimp Omelet. Try it, you'll like it."

The four proceeded in consuming their meals. A thick scrambled egg blanket folded over a hearty portion of golden fried shrimp, topped with chopped peppers. While they ate, Espio kept Vector up to date on the details he missed, including Mouse's past, Noah, and Gustave.

Shortly after they were finished, the waitress returned with a smile. "Are you guys interested in dessert?"

Usually Charmy would jump on the opportunity, but not this time. "I'm stuffed…"

"Nah, we're fine." Vector replied.

"Are you gentlemen ready to pay?"

"Not yet…" Mouse sipped on some milk. "We're going to be here for a while."

"Alright. Just let me know when you're ready." The waitress retrieved the empty plates and was on her way.

Mouse readjusted his shades. "Espio. Vector. Charmy. What if I told you that by the end of today, you will solve the case of Sonic the Hedgehog?"

"I'd say you're outta your damn mind, but I'm ready to believe anything." Vector said.

"Well then. Allow me to show you something." Mouse pulled out a map of Station Square and unfolded it, then pointed to a certain location. "See that? That is Pacoli's Italian Restaurant on 128th street. That is where Gustave Marciano is going to be at approximately 7pm tonight. He is going to meet with a friend to do some sort of negotiation deal. And guess what? That is where we're going to be. Listen up my friends, and listen close. We are to going to pull off the ultimate heist. We are going to steal Gustave Marciano. And once he's in our possession, we grill him until all the information comes out. Once the canary sings, it'll all be over…"

"Yep." Vector nodded. "You are definitely outta your damn mind. But you got me interested."

"How do you know that Gustave is going to be there tonight?" Espio asked.

"The streets have eyes and ears. Besides, I have my sources…"

"And how, may I ask, are we to pull off this heist? I assume it's going to be pretty elaborate."

Mouse almost chuckled. "Oh you better believe it. So…if you want in on this operation, don't say anything. If you want nothing to do with it, raise your hand now. I do warn you, it's very risky."

Espio remained still. Vector remained still. But Charmy raised a hand.

"I'm sorry you guys…I just can't…I…I can't…"

"What's wrong?" the chameleon asked.

"I think Charms is still shaken up a bit by the black car yesterday. Right?"

The bee nodded. "Mmm hmm."

Espio glanced at him, almost pitying the young kid. "Charmy…if you don't want to do it, that's fine with us. Vector and I will take care of this. Okay?"

"Okay…Thank you…"

"That's quite alright. Two people are still enough for this operation." Mouse folded up the map and brought out another piece of paper. "This you see here is the basic layout of Pacoli's Italian restaurant. The dining room is essentially one huge rectangle with about 50 tables spread throughout. On the west side of the rectangle are the restrooms, this will play a key role. On the northwest side is the private booth, already reserved for you-know-who. Gustave's party and his friend's party will occupy it. On the northeast side is the kitchen. And at the south side is the entrance/exit. Any questions so far?"

Vector and Espio shook their heads. Pretty simple. No need for queries.

"Now, I've served Noah for several years alongside Gustave. Whenever he leaves his residence, he always has two bodyguards with him at all times. Doesn't matter where he goes, he will have two at his side. Two is the magic number. When he arrives at the restaurant tonight, it will be no different. This heist will have to be handled with subtlety and finesse. The place will be packed. One wrong move and we could have dead innocent bystanders. Or we could have a hostage situation on our hands. We don't need any of that. This operation will go through three phases. Pay attention."

They didn't even blink.

"First phase: Disable/Distract only one guard. Just one. That's the first thing that should be done. Don't think these guys are just some weaklings you can take down with a sucker punch. They're very tough. Espio, I assume you can handle fighting one, right?"

"I'm more than proficient."

"Good. Now Vector. Espio. I hope you like disguises, because both of you will be wearing them. If you waltz right into Pacoli's looking the way you are right now, the jig is pretty much up. You're bound to get recognized, and if it's Noah, they'll kill you."

"What kind of disguises are we talkin' about?" Vector asked.

Mouse took out a professional disguise kit, complete with dye, makeup, fake fur, and other doodads. "Espio, I hope you like big cats. Because tonight you will be known as Espio the Lion. Meow."

"You have got to be kidding me…"

"And Vector, I hope you don't mind being a feathered friend, because this evening you will be called Vector the Toucan."

"I'm going to be a bird?!"

"Yes. It's the only animal I can think of that has as big a snout as yours."

"Oh, you're funny."

"Anyways, I've already reserved tables for you. It's located at the north side of the restaurant, just east of the private booth. When the greeter asks your name, tell him you're Jack Wilson. It should be on the reserved guest list. Once you get to the table, don't order anything. If the waiter asks what you want, just say not now. Tell him you're expecting another person and he hasn't shown up yet. When that's straightened out, Espio, you go to the restroom and wait there until further instructions."

"Further instructions? You're going to be in there with us?"

"Aha…no. I'm going to be in a white van across the street, giving you orders using this…"

Mouse pulled out two button-size silver objects, no larger than dimes. "These go in your ears. Very, very small and hardly noticeable. I'll be able to keep communication with you from the van. Now, you guys will have to give me feedback on the current situation, so I will be able to guide you. Now as I said, Espio, you go in the restroom. Stick to the ceiling and camouflage yourself until further orders."

"Okay."

"Vector, are you a good actor?"

"Err…I don't know."

"I hope you are. Because tonight, my friend, you are also going to be a waiter."

"Excuse me? Are you pullin' my chain?"

Mouse pulled out a stuffy, black uniform. "Nope. This is what the waiters at Pacoli's Restaurant wear. Now since Gustave and his posse are in a private booth, you won't be able to see what they're eating or drinking from the outside. So hold on until you see a waiter carrying the dinners go to their section. Give them a few minutes to enjoy their food. Now, go to the restroom. Enter a stall and change into the waiter outfit. Now keep your cool. Maintain composure. Because you'll enter Gustave's private booth. As long as you mind your manners, you'll be fine. Look out for the big, muscle-bound raccoon there. His name is Marcus. He's always with him. If they question you as a waiter, just say you're a new recruit and you're still learning the ropes. Inform Marcus that he has a phone call at the front desk."

"A phone call?" Espio asked.

"Yes. I'll be the one calling. Don't sweat it. I'll keep him busy. Once Marcus dismisses himself, you'll be left with only one guard. Now's the time for the second phase: Isolate Gustave and the lone guard. Get them away from the others."

Mouse placed a small round tin container on the table.

Vector looked at the object quizzically. "What the hell is that?"

"It's an ink ribbon. Now before you enter Gustave's booth, lightly smudge your index finger with this. Right after Marcus leaves, please your hands on the table. Try to be as nonchalant as possible. Roll with it, if you will. Place an ink mark on Gustave's glass. Tell them to have a nice stay and leave."

"What's with the ink mark?" Espio questioned.

"I'll get to that in a bit. Vector, you go back in the restroom and take off the waiter uniform. Return to your table. Now watch the booth carefully. Look for the waiter that will eventually take their glasses away for refills. Keep an eye out for the glass with the black mark, because you'll be using this…"

Mouse pulled out yet another item from his bag and placed it on the table, a tiny syringe filled with a clear liquid.

"This is ipecac."

Charmy concentrated on the needle. "Epic what?"

"Ipecac. It's a serum that induces vomiting. It's given to patients who have accidentally ingested something poisonous, such as bleach. Ipecac pushes all the stuff back out. Think of it as a reboot for your stomach. Pretty potent stuff."

"Ugh…" the bee made a disgusted face.

"Keep an eye out for the waiter that will make his return route back to Gustave's booth. Have the ipecac ready. Intercept him and make a distraction. While's he occupied, slip some in his drink. Make sure it's the right one. The one with the mark. Let him be on his way and return to your table. Now it's time to play the waiting game. Espio, pay attention because your part will be up next."

"Okay."

"The ipecac should kick in about five minutes after consumption. Gustave will start puking his butt off. He'll run to the restroom with his guard most likely with him. Vector, that will be your cue to go outside and wait in the van. While he's distracted with making deposits to the toilet bank, Espio will take out the guard. Then he'll incapacitate the helpless Gustave."

"Then what?"

"The third and final phase: The Extraction. Get him in the white van and escape before the others realize what's happened. This should be the shortest and easiest part of the heist. There's an air duct above the center stall. Espio will carry the furry cargo through this duct. It'll lead back outside. Run like hell and put Gustave in the van. Then we escape like thieves in the night. If we play our cards right, we'll have a good mile or two before they notice anything."

Mouse grinned as he leaned back and crossed his arms. "And that gentlemen, is how we'll steal Gustave Marciano and end the case. Hopefully. So…do you still want in?"

Espio and Vector looked at each other. Sure it would be a dangerous job, but they dealt with danger before. Nothing new. And they would have the chance to solve the biggest mystery in Station Square's history. Go for it.

"We're in." the two replied.

"I thought so." Mouse chuckled. "Now Charmy, you're going to stay in the van with me, where it's safer. Okay?"

"Yeah..."

"Meet back here at 4pm inside the van. We'll get the preparations in order, as well as prettying up Espio and Vector for the ball. Got it? Don't be late."

Soon their meals were paid for and the Chaotix stood outside the Blue Octopus. Mouse waved his goodbye-for-now before driving off in his big, white vehicle. The time was now 11:18am. Slightly less than five hours left.

"I'll see you guys back here." Espio said. He started to walk away.

Vector raised an eye. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going back to Ray's house, check if he's come back home. I'm still determined for some answers."

"Alright…see ya. Hmm…now that I think about it, I got some business to do myself."

The crocodile started to walk down his path as well.

"And where are YOU going?" Charmy asked.

"Some personal stuff, Charms. I'll see you guys at four."

"And what about me?"

"You could always go home and chill until then."

Charmy shrugged. "I guess…"

And the three separated once again. It seemed that they all had their own agendas to attend to, most notably Espio and Vector.

The crocodile returned to 76th street and stood in front of the Waffle Hut. He saw her through the window, serving tables with that cute smile. His crush. His angel. Oh how he wanted to tell Abigail how he felt, how much he wanted to be with her. For every day that went by without sharing his true feelings, his heart deeply ached even more. Vector was a bit startled when the pure white rabbit suddenly waved at him. He felt the blush rushing to his head and he waved back, with a goofy expression. She giggled. Why was he so awkward when it came to pretty girls? Why can't he muster up the courage?

Vector's thoughts and feelings swirled for a while. Anxiety mixed with love. Confidence tangled with disappointment. A torrent of emotions. But now he was finally ready to step up. He was tired of running away. Espio was right. No more stalling. It's time to take it to the next level. Stop pussyfooting. Grow a backbone. Go into the Waffle Hut right now. Show no fear. Walk over to her. Embrace Abigail into your arms! Look into her eyes! Bare your heart and soul! Admit your love and scream it to the world! I love you Abigail! I LOVE YOU DAMMIT!

Let's go! The crocodile growled loud and pumped his fists. Vector was rejuvenated. Vector was reborn. He walked up the steps with a sense of purpose so fierce it hurts. He put his hand on the door knob with a vice grip. Just as he was about to turn the handle…reality set in.

With a deep sigh and painful sense of regret, he walked away.

Abigail looked a little disappointed when he turned back; her ears drooped ever so slightly…

Ray was not a happy camper, not in the least. He stormed through his house in a frenzy, shouting and cursing to himself. His television, his CD and DVD collection, his dishes, nearly everything was trashed. It looked like a hurricane paid his home one hell of a visit. Talk about disrespect to property.

Imagine the squirrel's joy when Espio showed up and stood in the doorway.

Ray walked into the living room and stopped as soon as he saw him. His stare could puncture steel. "You…"

He walked up to him with clenched fists and a sour frown. Soon the squirrel and the chameleon were face to face. That familiar staredown.

"Nice to see you, Ray."

"Oh look. The chump is back. You did this to my house, didn't you?"

"Don't be stupid. I didn't do this. It was a bunch of raccoons that tore this place apart."

"Raccoons? Shoot…they come back for it…"

"Come back for what? The briefcase? Yeah, they've taken it. Seems to me you shouldn't be taking things that aren't yours."

"And how the hell did you know I had a briefcase?"

"I was…in your house, investigating."

"You came into my house while I was gone? Who the hell do you think you are? You think just because you're some special detective, you can do whatever you want?"

"What was in the briefcase and why do you have it?"

"Answer my question first."

"Fine. Sonic is the greatest hero that ever lived…who was horribly murdered. I will make sure those responsible will pay, no questions asked. If I have to enter homes without the owner's consent to get the job done, so be it. Happy?"

"Oh wow. Bravo, man. Bravo. Big avenger for a fallen hero. Whoopdee-frickin-do. What a hypocrite."

"Now, what was in the briefcase and why do you have it?"

"I'm not answering a damn thing. Get the hell out of my house."

"You know, you have one serious attitude problem. You need to get your head out of your ass once in a while."

"You care so much for Sonic and yet you don't give a rat's ass about Mighty."

"Wait a second…" Espio paused. "Is this…is this what it's all about? Mighty?"

Ray didn't say a word.

"Why are you so upset at me? What does Mighty have to do with it?"

"Oh God. Stop pretending. Please."

"Stop pretending about what?"

"Are you serious? Either you're lying or you really are that dense…"

"Tell me!"

"Read my lips, you punk. You are the reason Mighty disappeared from the agency! You drove him away! You took him away from me!"

Those words hit Espio like a ton of bricks to the breadbasket. He…drove Mighty away? He…is the reason he's gone? Nah, couldn't be… For a few seconds, he was speechless.

Ray just about had enough of it. He needed to release some pent-up pressure, so he reeled back and clocked the distracted Espio with one big uppercut. The impact sent the chameleon flying back a few feet and hitting the floor hard.

Espio rubbed his chin as he got back on his feet, feeling quite a sting. "You're going to wish you never did that… And I didn't drive Mighty away! Stop your lying!" 

"And there you go again! Spewing that delusional BS! God you make me sick!"

The ninja came back with a straight punch to Ray's abdomen, followed by a swift roundhouse kick to the face. The blow sent the squirrel falling on his left side.

Ray wiped his mouth. A bit of blood appeared on his hand…and it sent him into a rage. With a yell, he rushed toward Espio with a flurry of punches, but they were blocked easily. But a sweep kick caught the ninja off guard, and he fell on his stomach. Ray tried to kick his face, but the chameleon grabbed his foot. Asserting force, he pushed the squirrel back and he fell on the table.

Espio stood up. "Look. I won't deny that Mighty and I didn't always agree on everything. And…well…I may have said some…things to him that I truly regret, but I did not drive him away! He did not leave because of me! Okay? Do you hear me? Do you understand?"

"Heh. What a load. Who're you trying to convince? Me? Or you?"

Ray leapt on his feet and tackled Espio against the wall, making him yell in pain. He followed up with three mean right hooks to the face. The bruised ninja retaliated with a lightning quick open-palm jab to the throat. The squirrel fell in an instant, desperately gasping and choking. Sharp pain pierced through his neck. Espio was on one knee, trying to get a breather.

The chameleon soon stood and looked over his defeated opponent. He was so tempted to crack his jaw open, but he must remember his training. No more than necessary.

"Like I said before. If you think Mighty vanished because of me, then you're the one who is delusional. I'm sorry you feel that I took your friend away. You can have your little tantrums. You can hate me all you want. If you don't want to help with the case, that's fine. I'm sorry for wasting my time on you. You won't see me again. Good bye Ray."

Espio walked out of his house, not even considering stopping or looking back.

_**Chapter 6 is next…**_


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 - Mission Improbable**

_Wow. It's barely been a day since we began the case of Sonic's murder, and we're this close to solving it. Thanks to an unexpected ally named 'Mouse', we've determined that Gustave Marciano, the leader of crime syndicate Noah, was involved. We're going to nab that raccoon and make him squeal about who done the hedgehog in. It won't be easy though. Gustave Marciano is a dangerous individual with formidable manpower on his side. He didn't become the Don for nothing. This heist that we're about to pull off tonight will put our very lives at stake. One wrong move could…well…I don't want to think about that. Right now, we have to focus. This Mouse seems like a good character, but I'm still skeptical about him. A stranger that treats us to brunch, gives us money, and is going to help solve our biggest mystery? We're getting so much help in such a short time; I can't help but feel that something is amiss. Regardless, this is the only lead we have… _

The time was 3:51 pm. Vector, Charmy, and Espio headed toward Mouse's van, still sitting in front of the Blue Octopus Restaurant. The parking lot was packed as it's always been. The raccoon leaned against the vehicle's driver side door with his arms crossed. He gave a slight nod as he watched the trio approach him.

"Glad you could make it. Were you followed?"

"No." Espio replied.

"Are you sure?"

"Trust me; I know when I'm being followed."

"Good. Alright gentlemen. Let's get a move on."

The driver's side door creaked as Mouse pulled it open and got behind the wheel. "We're going for a ride. Hop in."

"Where are we going?" Charmy asked.

"You'll see. Come on. We don't have time to waste."

The Chaotix hopped in as well. Espio rode shotgun. Vector and Charmy shared the back. The van's interior was spacious with tinted windows. Comfy leather seats too. Mouse turned the ignition and the engine roared to life. An oldies rock song boomed from the speakers.

Vector leaned back and let the tunes sink in. "Like the old school, eh Mousie?"

The raccoon cracked a smile. "Heh. No school like the old school."

Mouse hit the pedal and the van sped off, heading toward the northwest district of Station Square. He went with the flow of traffic, regardless of the speed limit.

Mouse looked at the overhead mirror and noticed the crocodile being unusually quiet. "Something wrong, Vector?"

"Hmm?" Snapping out of it, he shook his head. "Nah. I'm just…daydreaming."

"Ooooh! I bet I know what Vector's thinking about!" Charmy teased.

Espio sighed. "Yeah…me too."

Mouse was pleasantly curious. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Looooove is in the air…" the bee replied.

The ninja chimed in. "Everywhere I look around…"

"You guys better shut the hell up!" Vector growled, starting to get red in the face.

"You're in love, Vector?" Mouse smiled. "Well congratulations! It's a wonderful feeling, isn't it?"

"Yeah…it sure is…"

"You don't sound every enthused."

"He hasn't told her how he feels." Espio interjected.

"Espy! Hush!"

"Ah…I see. You're in love with a girl…but you're not sure of how to tell her. Is that right?"

"I'd rather not talk about it."

"It's nothing to be ashamed about. Women are fascinating but unpredictable creatures. Just when you think you know them inside and out, they throw you a curveball."

Vector breathed a sigh. "Yeah… I know…"

"I'm only speaking from experience. When you think you are ready, just go ahead and tell her. You've got nothing to lose. Just remember: the longer it takes, the harder it's going to be."

"I know, I know… Hmph. Espy said the same exact thing."

"It's true. Get her before someone else does."

"I know…"

"Heh. Listen to yourself. If you know about this so much, you would've asked her a long time ago." Espio stated.

"You wanna get hit?"

"I dare you."

Charmy knew that this was his cue to step between them. "Now now you guys! It's not the time. We got a big mission ahead of us!"

"Yeah yeah…" both Espio and Vector groaned.

The four endured fifteen minutes of stop-and-go traffic before Mouse made a hard left onto another busy road. At the rate he was driving, they would arrive at their destination with plenty of time before rush hour.

"Here we are. 128th Street. Pacoli's Restaurant should be coming up shortly."

The Chaotix became serious now, all three of them staring out the window in search of their objective. A seemingly never-ending stream of restaurants passed them by before Espio pointed it out.

"There it is."

There it is indeed. Pacoli's Restaurant was written in neon-green cursive across the top. Mouse made another left at a street just before approaching the restaurant.

"Uhh…where are we going?" Charmy asked, looking back at the place.

The raccoon didn't answer as he made yet another left and reached a toll booth. Behind that toll booth was a barricade blocking a dim tunnel.

The otter attendant appeared in the window. "Five dollars please."

Mouse paid the man and drove into the tunnel. An underground parking garage.

"Umm…hello? Mouse?" Charmy asked again.

Still didn't answer. He looked straight ahead. Parking garage was rather full, with that rare empty spot here and there. Against the back wall was a free spot, so he revved forward and took it. With a shift into park and a flick of the ignition, the van rested.

"And we are here, gentlemen."

Vector cocked his head. "So…uh…why are we in here?"

"Just needed a secure place to apply your costumes, as well as any other preparations for the big heist tonight. This will be our home base, so to speak. Now, would you all step outside for a sec?"

Vector, Espio, and Charmy waited out in the parking garage as Mouse folded up the seats and slid them in the back, creating ample room in the van's center. He pulled out a black storage box and opened it up.

"Gentlemen, step into my office."

They stepped back into the van. Mouse poked his head out and scanned the area for anything suspicious. Nothing. He immediately slid and locked the door shut. The tinted windows would maximize privacy against prying eyes. The raccoon, chameleon, crocodile, and bee sat in a circle with the box in the center.

"So, who wants to go first?"

Espio and Vector didn't move as they eyed each other. Neither of them was particularly thrilled at the idea of donning such elaborate disguises, but they had a job to do. And it was for Sonic.

"I'll go first." The ninja replied.

"Good."

Faux fur, dye, make-up, a comb, scissors, adhesives, paint, and other instruments were neatly laid out on the floor.

"Alright Espio. I'll going to need you to hold still while I work on your face. You're going to feel some slight discomfort."

"Oh, you don't need to worry about that." Vector interrupted. "He's the master of being still. He's a statue."

"Good to know, oh, and would you two mind scooting back a bit? I'm going to need plenty of room for this."

Charmy nodded. "No prob, Mouse."

The two moved back as the raccoon prepared the fur and adhesive. Espio closed his eyes and became frozen. His time to become a lion was nigh. The operation would finally be underway.

"All right." Mouse said. "Let us begin."

6:17 pm. An impeccably dressed Gustave stood in front of his bedroom mirror. The raccoon's slick suede shoes, black three-piece suit with matching bowtie, and red rose in front pocket just exuded sophistication and class. A stunning 24 karat amethyst diamond ring shined on his right hand. Mary applied a dab of spicy cologne on his neck, and applied the finishing touches on his business dinner attire. Gustave stood up straight and put his hands behind his back, admiring the handsome devil in the mirror.

"How do I look, Mary?" he asked, already full well knowing the answer.

"Impressive as always, Mr. Marciano. You'll make a killing at the dinner."

"Hopefully it won't go that far, but I trust James will make the right decision."

Mary contemplated a bit at those words. She suddenly became silent.

Gustave checked his watch. "Time for me to make my departure."

He descended the staircase in a calm manner to the living room, where his top four henchmen and a smattering of underlings awaited his arrival.

"Are you two ready?"

"Ready, Boss." Joey replied.

"Yeah, Mr. Marciano." musclebound Marcus answered.

"You two are coming with me to the meeting. Ashton and Kevin, you will be at your designated location. I will give you the word if it deems necessary."

"Yeah, boss."

"Yes sir."

"And the rest of you, watch the place while I'm gone."

The associates all responded positively. A butler opened the front door for Gustave and his two associates. Their white stretch limousine sat in the spacious courtyard, engine running. The driver swiftly opened the car door for the raccoon trio, though Marcus had a bit of trouble squeezing his massive frame through the door. They all sat back in separate seats, quite comfortably.

"To Pacoli's Restaurant, Sir?" the driver asked.

"Yes."

"Right away, Sir."

The car was on its way, completing the circle around the large fountain. Gustave glanced at the two guards beside the front gate as it opened, allowing the exotic car to exit.

"Marcus. Joey. You know there's quite a chance of hostility at this meeting tonight, once I lay down my proposal. Be prepared for the worst."

Both Marcus and Joey cocked their silenced pistols and slid them in their holsters, snugly hidden in their suits.

"We gotcha covered, boss. We can handle it." The big one reassured.

"Yeah Mr. Marciano, and with Ashton and Kevin as our trump card, James would have to be an idiot to say no."

"Still, we have to take certain precautions."

Despite all the noise and commotion that passed them by in the city night, it was ghostly quiet inside the limousine. Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata broke the silence. Gustave immediately unflipped the cell.

"Hello."

_"Gustave! Hey, I'm just making sure that we're still on for the meeting."_

"Don't worry, we are. In fact, I'm on my way to Pacoli's Restaurant right now."

_"Oh good. Just wanted to make sure, because I'm already there."_

"Is that right?"

_"Yeah, we're waiting at our private booth. We haven't ordered anything yet."_

"It won't be long. We'll be there in about 15-20 minutes."

_"Alright Gustave. Good bye."_

Gustave ended the call and slipped the phone back in his pocket.

"Was that James?" Joey asked.

"Yes. He's already at the restaurant, waiting for us."

Marcus huffed. "Heh. What an early bird."

"James has always been a punctual man."

6:28 pm. Inside Mouse's van, there has been a change in the species lineup. It took nearly two and a half hours, but Espio's and Vector's transformations have been completed, thanks to the raccoon's extensive efforts.

Mouse, with an impossibly wide-grinned Charmy beside him, stood back and rubbed his chin as he admired his handiwork.

"Not bad…not bad at all. I think I did a rather good job. What do you think, Charmy?"

"Heh heh! I can barely recognize 'em!"

Espio the Lion. Rawr. He had the appearance of what the proud, majestic king of the jungle should be. Overflowing mane, whiskers, gleaming canine teeth, shining tan fur, paws built for hunting, long brown-tipped tail…and a cute little pink nose to boot.

"Care to give us a roar?" Mouse teased.

The bee added. "Or how about a meow?"

The ninja was not amused in the slightest, wearing one of the blankest expressions he ever had. He never felt more humiliated in his life, but he sure did look cuddly. Adorable even.

"I don't roar or meow."

"Squawk!" Vector shouted, flapping his newly-formed wings. "Just follow my nose!"

Vector the Toucan. Damn, he was one large bird. He was covered in emerald-green feathers, with a cleverly constructed wooden beak covering his large snout. It was painted with four different colors in a stripe pattern. A pair of contact lenses made his eyes a complete black.

Charmy giggled. "Does Vector want a cracker?"

"Yes, yes I do! Squaaaaawk!"

Espio shook his head as he looked away. "You guys are having WAY too much fun with this…"

"Nothing wrong with easing the tension before a big mission." Mouse told him.

"There's a difference between easing the tension and being an idiot."

Vector turned with a raised eyebrow. "Excuse me? Care to repeat that, Simba?"

"I think you heard me just fine, Polly."

"Alright, you two. Hold still."

Mouse attached what appeared to be a tiny metallic button on the inside of both Vector and Espio's right ear. The devices were so small that you could barely tell you're wearing them.

"These are your headsets. It will allow contact between you and me. I can give you instructions and you can tell me the current situation."

Mouse checked his watch. "It's 6:31. Gustave should be arriving at Pacoli's within a half hour. Let's move into position."

The Chaotix sat on the floor as the van revved out of the parking garage. The sun was setting. Nightfall was closeby. There was the restaurant, about a quarter-mile down on the other side of the intersection.

But Mouse wasn't going there. He made a right at Frederick's supermarket, located directly across from their objective. He swerved into a parking space close to the road. From here they had a perfect view of Pacoli's.

He turned off the ignition, casting an eerie silence in the van.

"And now we wait."

"A stakeout huh?" Vector asked.

"Yep, you got it. Gustave should arrive with time to spare. He's never late for anything."

The four became quiet again, passively looking at the surroundings just to pass the time. Customers and shopping carts went in and out of the supermarket like clockwork. Cars cruised along the streets like blood through veins.

"Charmy." Mouse suddenly said.

"Y…Yeah?"

"I need you to stay here in the van with me during this operation. Since you're not disguised, I can't risk you being spotted by Noah or some other criminal group. Especially since we're going to be so close to Gustave."

"O…Okay…" he nodded nervously.

They didn't have to wait too long before the next big step of the heist presented himself.

"Whoa you guys. Check out that limo." Vector pointed.

Indeed, that white stretch limousine rolled up and stopped in front of the restaurant, grabbing the Chaotix and Mouse's undivided attention. Two raccoons, one big and one small, came out of the car and stood guard.

"The musclehead must be Marcus." Espio commented.

"Correct."

And then the Don himself stepped out. The raccoon looked left and right, wearing a smug expression as his minions stood close.

"Gustave Marciano." Mouse said.

"Th…that's him?" a suddenly nervous Charmy asked.

"Yep. The man you see right there is your objective."

Vector and Espio's eyes locked onto their target. Charmy was obviously intimidated, peeking from behind the crocodile's shoulder. Gustave and his men entered the restaurant, and the limo left the scene shortly after.

Mouse bent down and dug under his seat. He retrieved a small plastic bag, containing an ink ribbon and a small syringe filled with ipecac. He also grabbed a perfectly-sized waiter's outfit. Mouse placed these items neatly in a small briefcase, which he handed to the toucan.

"Here's all the tools you'll need, Vector."

"Thanks…but uh…aren't they gonna check the briefcase?"

"They won't. They're not allowed to. Besides, people bring briefcases to Pacoli's all the time. It's a popular spot for business deals, both legal and illegal. You'll be fine."

"If you say so…"

Mouse rubbed his hands together. "Espio. Vector. It's time to put this plan into motion. Are you two ready?"

The lion and the toucan nodded at one another. "Yeah, we're ready."

"Alright then. Let us begin the heist. Remember Vector, you are Jack Wilson when they ask your name."

"Got it."

Espio slid the door open and the two hauled tail to the restaurant. Mouse closed the door quietly as not to draw attention. Charmy took a deep breath as he watched his two friends go through the front door. The big heist has now begun.

The joint was jumpin'. The lion and bird were a bit overwhelmed at first, seeing how packed the place was. Customers filled nearly all the tables, both criminal and not. Vector felt his mouth beginning to water at the scent of food being passed around by the waiters. His snout was sending such delicious signals to his brain.

"Your name please." The clerk said.

Vector snapped out of his daydream. "Oh…I'm…I'm Jack Wilson. Squawk."

The clerk skimmed through the guest list. "Ah…Mr. Jack Wilson. The waiter will show you to your table."

Soon enough the two sat at their booth, located at the back wall. Menus were placed in front of them.

"What would you like to drink?" the waiter asked.

"Two waters would be fine." Espio answered.

The waiter scribbled in his tiny notepad. "Okay. I'll be right back with your beverages."

No more than two minutes passed before two glasses of water were placed on the table.

"Thank you." both of them said.

"Have you decided what you wanted to order?"

"Actually." Espio cleared his throat. "We have another guest who will be joining us soon. We're not going to order anything until he has arrived."

"Alright. Just let me know if you need anything."

"Sure."

Immediately after the waiter's gracious exit, something vibrated in Espio's and Vector's ear. An incoming transmission.

_"Hey Vector. This is Mouse. How are things so far?"_

"Things are goin' smoothly. We're at our table. We just told the waiter that we're going to order when we're ready."

_"Good. That's one less thing to worry about. Hey Espio. Are you doing okay?"_

"I'm fine. I believe I should be waiting in the restroom until the next order, correct?"

_"Correct. You go on ahead. Vector, get your supplies ready. Wait a few minutes after Espio leaves, then go."_

"Gotcha."

_"If you need anything, don't hesitate to call. Mouse out."_

The communication ended and the furry Espio headed into the men's room. He paid no mind to the middle-aged man washing his hands before entering the stall. He waited until the man left, and then latched himself to the ceiling and instantly camouflaged.

Vector the Toucan packed the waiter's outfit under his arm. The ink ribbon and syringe were tightly held in his hand. He stared at the clock until the third minute has passed before excusing himself to the restroom.

He took the last stall and made the change into a Pacoli's waiter. He dusted and straightened himself out to make sure he looked presentable. He was serving the Mob, after all.

"Don't screw up." the invisible lion advised.

"Heh. Easy for you to say. You got the easy job."

"Easy job? It's not any easier than yours. I'll have to do actual physical work. All you'll do is act."

Vector grunted. He dabbed his index finger with a smidge of ink ribbon. "Anyway, I'll be off to meet Mr. Big Shot."

"Have fun. Don't keep me waiting."

"Whatever."

Vector left the restroom as cool and casual as possible. He made a brisk walk to the private booth in the corner. He stopped in front of the solid oak door. The toucan closed his eyes for a few seconds and relaxed.

"Mouse, I'm about to meet Gustave. I'm just outside his private booth."

_"You sound a little nervous."_

"I'm okay. Don't stress."

_"I'm not. Remember, I can hear what's going on. So I can still guide you."_

"Right. Thanks. Vector out."

In just a few moments, he was about to come face to face with Gustave Marciano.

As soon as Vector stepped into the booth, he felt all six pairs of eyes staring at him. He felt a sudden jump in his stomach, palms beginning to dampen a little. Who could blame him? These mobsters could pull out their guns at any moment and make swiss cheese out of him. Gustave, Marcus, and Joey, with otters James and his two lackeys, Eddie and Vincent were dead silent. A huge dinner sat on the table with a glass of wine in front of each occupant. Vector took note of the one in front of Gustave.

"Who are you?" Mr. Marciano asked.

Vector cleared his throat once more. "H…hello. I'm…Jack Wilson. I'm a new waiter. It's my first night here and hopefully I'll be of some service to you."

"Where's our other waiter?"

"He's…taking a break right now. I'll be taking over temporarily."

Gustave's stare toward the toucan remained unbroken. "Is that right?"

"Yeah…"

Mr. Marciano looked at Marcus with a slight nod, then at Joey with a slight nod, then back at Vector. Questions began to swirl in the waiter's mind. What was that all about? Why did he do that? Did he see through his disguise?

"You look very familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?"

"No. Not that I know of, Sir…"

No matter how much he tried to ignore it, those stares and the awkward silence continue to mount the pressure on him. The stuffy toucan disguise and the waiter's outfit only added to the anxiety.

"Get out of here." Gustave commanded.

"Ex…excuse me Sir?"

"Get out. Get my real waiter back in here."

Vector did a quick bow. "Y…yes sir. Sorry to have interrupted you…"

He didn't waste any time leaving and closing the door. The bird took a quick glance around the restaurant. Nothing seemed unusual. He certainly didn't see that coming. Vector returned to the restroom and entered a stall. He made sure the place was free of customers.

"So…how did it go?" the invisible lion asked.

"Not too good." Vector hissed. "Bad news, Mouse. Gustave didn't buy it."

_"Yeah, I've heard. That's okay. You did good."_

"So what now?"

_"Take off your waiter uniform and return to your table. You'll be on standby just in case something happens."_

"Then what? You got another plan?"

_"Yes. Fortunately, I have a Plan B."_

"And what would that be?"

_"It's time for a more subtle approach…"_

Gustave Marciano and James Giamatti raised their glasses in a toast. The bodyguards sat close by silently and watched. Two Dons from different criminal empires shared a meal, reminisced about old times, and even had a couple of laughs. But the time of pleasure was now over. It was now time for business, the main reason why this meeting was formed.

James Giamatti was a 32 year old otter, only a few years younger than Gustave. His crime syndicate, named Alpha, was the second most powerful criminal entity in Station Square. It's the one thing that's keeping Noah from gaining total dominance of the city's underworld. Unlike the raccoon who was calm and collected, James was a bit of a paranoid mess. It's pretty understandable when you're in the drug trade. You're bound to make more enemies than friends. He was married at 26 years old, and became the father of a beautiful baby boy less than a year later. James loved them both very deeply. The otter has inherited Alpha's fortune when his father was killed by a rival organization four years ago. He doesn't have nearly as much experience in the business as Gustave. But more importantly, he has a heart. This puts him at a disadvantage.

"So James." Gustave graciously took a sip of wine. "What's the reason for this little meeting that you've put together?"

The otter wore a thin smile. "Well Gustave, as you are well aware, my syndicate Alpha is currently holding approximately ten percent of the drug trade in Station Square. While your Noah is claiming the other ninety percent."

"That's right."

"And you've been gracious enough to not try and claim the last ten percent and gain total dominance of the market. You could've gone to war with Alpha anytime you wanted and wiped us out. But you didn't."

"That's what friends do, right?"

"Yeah…"

A knock on the door halted the conversation, and their real waiter stepped into the room. He paused a bit, feeling like he's being followed by something… Nah. He paid no mind and resumed.

"Hello gentlemen. Are you enjoying your dinner?"

"Yes we are. Thank you." James answered.

"Did you gentlemen need anything?"

"Yes, actually." Gustave said. "Do you know of a waiter named Jack Wilson?"

"No…I don't recall any Jack Wilson working here. Why?"

"This tall, rather bulky green toucan who called himself Jack Wilson came in here claiming to be a new waiter. I found it very hard to believe and he's seemed rather suspicious."

"That's odd…"

"If I were you, I'd speak with management and get this straightened out."

"Right away, Sir. Thank you for bringing this to my attention."

The waiter bowed and left immediately.

"Now where were we, James? Ah yes… Alpha owns ten percent and Noah owns ninety percent. I held off taking over because you are my friend. Go on."

Before they could continue, some sort of loud tapping noise toward the back of the room caught everyone's attention. All eyes focused on the left corner, where a large potted plant sat.

"What was that?" James asked.

"Marcus, go check that out." Gustave ordered.

"Yes, boss."

The big lug lumbered toward the plant and examined it. There was a pot, soil, and a tree. That was it. He looked up at the ceiling and all around the floor. Everything appeared normal to him.

"Nothing here, boss."

Gustave pondered. "Hmm…"

"Something wrong?"

"It's nothing. Continue on James, before something else interrupts us."

"Okay. Now as I was saying, instead of settling for ninety percent of the market, why not have Noah and Alpha…consolidate their assets?"

"Consolidate? Seriously? You're saying you want us to work together? Noah and Alpha as one empire?"

"That's right. Think about it. The two most powerful criminal entities in Station Square joining forces. We will be unstoppable. Nothing will stand in our way, Gustave. Criminal organizations the world over will bow before us."

Gustave rubbed his chin, almost seeming like he was considering the idea. "Unstoppable huh…the two of us…"

"Yes. Noah and Alpha. Together."

The raccoon looked at Marcus, who nodded. Then at Joey, who nodded. Then at James.

"You know…as grand an idea as that sounds, I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline that offer."

Gustave, Marcus, and Joey pulled out their pistols and aimed them straight at the otters. James, Eddie, and Vincent quickly responded and took out their guns, targeting the raccoons. Six heads in the room, with a gun pointed at each one. One deadly stalemate.

"What is the meaning of this, Gustave?" James grumbled.

"I have a different…approach in mind, my friend. Now hear MY proposal."

"…What proposal?"

"Forfeit your empire to me, James. Assets. Everything. And I might let you walk out of here alive."

The manager of Pacoli's Restaurant, with Gustave's waiter behind him, approached Vector at his table. They didn't seem very happy. The toucan eyed both of them with a questionable stare, wondering what the dirty looks were for.

"May I…help you?"

"Are you Jack Wilson?"

"Yes. Is there a problem?"

"We had a witness saying you were impersonating a waiter here in this restaurant."

Not good. As soon as Vector heard that sentence, he knew the jig was up. But maybe it wasn't too late to talk himself out of it.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know what you mean."

"Don't play dumb with me. The witness gave a name and description, and you fit both of them."

"And? How do you know that this witness isn't just blowing smoke? Hmm?"

"Sir…I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"But…"

_"Just do what he says, Vector. Don't make a scene."_

"Ehh…alright. Fine. I'm leaving."

Vector was escorted out the front door by the manager. He was back out into the night again. The bird looked around to see if any of Gustave's thugs were watching. Nope, nothing. He ran across the street and into Mouse's van.

"Wow." Charmy smirked. "First Gustave kicks you out. Then the restaurant kicks you out. You're on a roll tonight!"

"Charms, don't even start."

"Heh heh. Sorry."

"Well Mousie…sorry to fail ya again…"

"Don't beat yourself up over it. It happens. At any rate, it's all up to Espio now."

Guns remain aimed at every head in the room as the increasingly tense scenario between the two bosses continued. If it went on like this, more lives were bound to be lost.

"Why Gustave! I thought I was your friend? Why are you doing this?" James questioned.

"I've worked too damn hard and too damn long to build Noah into what it is today. Did you really think I'm going to let another organization get a piece of my multi-million dollar fortune? Compromise my assets? Get a share of my profits? I thought you were smarter than this, James. You should've thought this plan more thoroughly."

"Then why didn't you get rid of Alpha? You could've done that anytime you wanted." James argued.

"Because like you said, you were my friend. But alas, the time for our friendship is over. It's gone on long enough. It's time for Noah to seal the deal completely."

"Why you…"

"Don't you remember what I've told you? There comes a time when you have to sacrifice one part of your life to get another? This is one of those times. I'm trading in our friendship for fortune."

"You…you…!" James' finger was itchy on the trigger. "I could blow your head off right now Gustave!"

Espio the Ninja Lion was latched onto the ceiling in camouflage. He had snuck in and listened to the entire conversation ever since Gustave's real waiter entered the room.

"Are you getting this, Mouse? Something's about to go down." he whispered.

_"I hear you. I had a feeling Gustave and James would have a falling out. You should just leave. You don't want to risk getting caught in the crossfire."_

"No…not yet. I'm gonna stay, and see if he…"

"Last chance, James. Forfeit Alpha to me."

"Screw you!"

"I had really hoped it wouldn't come to this…"

Gustave unflipped his cell and turned it on. He pushed a button and said one word. "Go."

The raccoon pointed the phone toward James so he could hear. The sound of glass breaking followed by a scream had set the otter's heart racing.

_"Hey James. This is Ashton. Do you know where I am?"_

"…Oh no…please…no…"

_"I'm paying a lovely visit to your wife and kid. You got a nice place here. How much did you pay for it?"_

_"Who are you people? Stay back! Get away from me! Somebody help!"_

"Jessica! Gustave, don't you DARE…"

_"Kevin and his pistol here are gonna take real good care of your family."_

More screams and crying from James' wife and child came wailing through the phone. Espio shook his head in shame. How low was Gustave willing to stoop?

"DON'T YOU DARE HURT THEM!"

"Whether they live or die is up to you, James." Gustave said. "Their fate is in your hands. Make your decision. Forfeit Alpha to me, and they will be safe."

Gustave calmly took a sip of wine as if nothing happened. Oh, how James wanted to pull the trigger and blow that raccoon's brains out. The traitorous snake. He fumed and talked to himself for a few minutes. But in the end he didn't have much of a choice.

"Fine Gustave, you win. You can have Alpha."

"Glad we could come to an understanding."

The raccoon sat back down in his seat and put his gun away.

"Come back here tomorrow. Same time. You bring the deed. I'll bring the contract. When Alpha is officially mine, Kevin and Ashton will let your family free."

"You're nothing but a damn coward!"

"Coward? No. I'm just smart."

Gustave cleared his throat as he felt something coming up. It went away for a few moments, and then it came back. He tried to clear it again with a cough. But it only came back stronger. The raccoon put a hand on his neck, feeling something heavy coming.

"Are you okay, boss?" Joey asked.

Gustave's eyes began to water as his stomach started to sour. Some lightheadedness set in. He stood over the table and began to dry heave.

Marcus stared at him. "Boss?"

He tried to cover his mouth, but it didn't help at all as Gustave threw up all over the table. Everyone else quickly backed away in disgust. Espio's smile grew even wider. Distracting them with a knock in the room's corner and then adding the ipecac while they were preoccupied worked like a charm. Ninja Lion had struck with a vengeance.

"Are you sick?" the big raccoon asked.

Gustave ignored him. He held his stomach. It churned more and more. He covered his mouth as he ran out of the private booth, making a beeline to the restroom. Marcus and Joey wasn't so sure if they wanted to follow him or not, but decided to anyway.

"Serves him right." James muttered.

Mr. Marciano was in a stall. On his knees, he was making a deposit to the porcelain throne. Again and again. He was dizzy, sick, and confused. The world around him seemed to spin endlessly. Then, he heard a voice from behind him.

"Meow."

Espio threw a quick judo chop to the back of Gustave's neck. He keeled over to the cold, tiled floor. What a picture perfect moment for the big boss of Noah.

"Gustave is incapacitated, Mouse. I'm about to go in the duct and meet you outside."

_"Excellent work! I'm moving the van to the alley on the east side of the restaurant. I'll be waiting there."_

"Alright. Wait, hold on. I got company."

The two lackeys stormed into the restroom. The look on their faces upon seeing their boss knocked out by a ferocious feline spoke volumes.

"YOU!" Joey shouted.

"Get 'im!" Marcus growled.

Joey pulled out his silencer. Fortunately, Espio camouflaged himself before he could get a shot off.

Marcus was dumbfounded. "Huuuh? He disappeared!"

"He didn't disappear you meathead. He's using some kind of camouflage. No problem. I'll just fire my gun every which way; it's bound to hit him."

And he did just that. One round after another, Joey unloaded his gun in rapid succession in multiple directions.

"Don't hit the boss!"

"I know! Shut up!"

Espio dodged the shots with ease. He could read him like a book. The lion snuck around behind Marcus and hit him with a forceful kick to his left knee. The big lug yelled in pain and swung around with a huge backfist, only to hit nothing but air.

Joey turned around. "What's wrong?"

"That little punk hit me in the leg!"

"Kitty's gonna get it now…oof!"

Joey was clocked with a vicious blow to the breadbasket, making him fall to the ground in a pain-filled gasping frenzy.

"Cough! Get….him…! Cough!"

Marcus took out his silencer in a panic and pointed his gun everywhere, his hand remaining steady.

"Show yourself, ya punk! Fight like a man!"

"Okay."

Espio reappeared right in front of the big guy, catching him off guard. He nabbed the gun out of Marcus' grip with one swift motion. The lion's quick hands dismantled the weapon in a flash.

"You think you're so cool huh? C'mon little kitty cat! Let's fight!"

"Ladies first."

Marcus growled as he threw monstrous punches, left and right. Espio weaved to and fro. Not one made its mark. The ninja made a quick counterattack, by slapping him across the face like a bitch.

"Grrr…"

That slap infuriated him even more. He tried rushing toward him with a massive tackle, but Espio jumped over him like a hurdle. The large fighter crashed into the wall with immense force. With a huff, he turned around to face Espio, only to get slapped across the face like a bitch. Again.

"GRRRRR…."

Now he was major-league pissed. Marcus tried to grab him in a chokehold. Espio rolled his eyes and jumped high. He landed right on top of the raccoon's hands. And then he slapped him like a two-cent whore for the third time.

"GRRRRRRRRR! QUIT SLAPPIN' ME YOU LITTLE BASTARD!"

"Fine."

Espio responded with a mighty flip-kick that caught Marcus square in the jaw. The strike made the raccoon's teeth click, and the man fell to the floor in a giant heap. Joey was still on the floor fighting for air.

_"We're waiting for you, Espio. Don't play around too much."_

"Sorry. He wanted to me to fight fair and square, so I did. I'm on my way with Gustave now."

The lion hoisted the unconscious Gustave over his shoulder. He reached up above the center stall and pulled the grate from the wall. Espio crawled into the duct, dragging Noah's boss along by the arm. It was stuffy, dark, and cramped, but he was surely making progress. Then there was the light at the end of the tunnel…

"There he is!" Charmy said, watching from the van.

Vector clapped. "And he's got Gustave too!"

Mouse opened the door as the lion dashed in with their furry cargo. Gustave was placed in the back of the van on top of the folded seats.

"Go! Go! Go!" Espio shouted.

Mouse pressed on the gas and the van zoomed out of there. They traveled north at a smooth pace. Congratulations. Mission accomplished.

"Great job Espy. Great job."

"Yeah! You did it, kitty!"

Espio shrugged. "It's what I do."

"Don't celebrate just yet. Are we being followed?"

Espio, Vector, and Charmy looked behind them. There was a sea of headlights and brake lights, but nothing outstanding. Just the usual traffic.

"We're in the clear, Mousie."

"Good. Now we can relax."

The curious bee hovered over Gustave, inspecting the cold-hearted beast closely from head to toe. "He smells like barf."

"No kidding. I had to crawl through that cramped duct with him. I thought I was going to vomit myself."

Vector crossed his arms. "So Mousie, where do we go now?"

"There's an empty warehouse by the Caroline Docks in the northeast district. That's where we're taking Gustave. You can interrogate him there."

"Finally." Espio said. "We're going to get some much-needed answers in this case."

Mouse nodded. "And if we play our cards right, we'll know who Sonic's murderer is by tomorrow."

_**Chapter 7 is next…**_


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 – From the Shadows**

_This is it. Our investigation will soon come to an end. Our heist hit a few unexpected snags but we were successful nonetheless. We have the crime boss of Noah, Gustave Marciano, in our possession. If anyone knew the identity of Sonic's murderer, it would be him. I'm actually getting excited just thinking about it. I was skeptical of Mouse at first, but he has proven to be an invaluable asset to our case. We couldn't have got this far without him. Quite a guy. Our next destination is the Caroline Docks, where Gustave will be questioned. We suspect that he'll be a tough nut to crack, but I'm sure we'll get the information we need. This is Vector's opportunity to shine, as he is one of the top interrogators in Station Square. He can grill with the best of them. You can tell he enjoys his job a lot, though a bit too much if you ask me. But enough about that..._

According to Mouse, we will be approaching the docks in a few minutes. It's time for the grand finale, and Sonic's cold-blooded murderer will be brought to light.

8:25 pm. What a relief to take off those costumes. Mouse continued driving at a steady pace down the three-mile long Wilson Bridge. Gustave remained unconscious. Vector took another peek out the back window to see if they were being followed. They weren't. Espio crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat, contemplating. He had a lot to think about, namely Sonic's murder and his past. Charmy was fast asleep, head tilted toward the window.

"See that down there?" Mouse pointed below.

Both the chameleon and crocodile peered in that direction. There was a row of medium-sized buildings illuminated by street lamps, sitting by the expansive bay.

"Is the warehouse down there?" Espio asked.

"Yup. The second one from the left."

"At last…" Vector muttered with an eager grin. "He's gonna tell us everything. I'll make sure of that."

The ninja smirked. "Someone's confident."

"You've seen my work, Espy. You know I get things done."

"Let's hope so. Mr. Marciano isn't your ordinary petty criminal."

"Whatever. He'll fold in no time. Just watch me work my magic."

"Now this I got to see…"

Mouse turned into an exit ramp down into the Caroline Docks. Toward the horizon, thousands of city lights sparkled bright off the water's surface. If you wanted to spend a magical night with that special someone, this would a fine place to do it.

He slowed the van down, for the roads were narrow here. Boats of all sizes were anchored securely along the dock's edge. The van crept slowly along the warehouses. The raccoon pulled out what appeared to be a small remote and pressed a button.

"What's that?" Vector asked.

"Look."

The warehouse's door slid up with noisy mechanical clinks, and the van entered the dark and silent interior. Mouse killed the engine.

"Soo…are you gonna hit the lights or what?" Vector asked with a tinge of fear.

"Of course. Bring our guest along. I'll brighten things up here."

Despite being dark, the raccoon walked directly to the switch and flipped it on. He knew his way around the place. Vector hoisted Gustave over his shoulder as the room illuminated.

"Whew…he stinks."

"Tell me about it." Espio said. He nabbed a wooden chair and set it in the middle of the floor.

The crocodile sat Mr. Marciano down on the chair. Vector held him in place to prevent his body from slumping. A quick Espio began to wrap his body with some thick rope. Gustave was bound to the chair in no time, hands tied behind his back. Mouse leaned back against the hood of the van. He couldn't help but chuckle.

"Did you really have to tie him down? I mean it's only an interrogation, right?"

"This is to prevent him from making a break for it." Espio replied. "Though I doubt he can get away from me."

"Gusty isn't going anywhere."

"Hey, what about your friend Charmy?" Mouse asked. "He's still asleep in the van."

"Hmm…" Vector said to himself. He walked over and opened the vehicle's door. What he saw made him snicker at first, but quickly turned into boisterous laughter.

"Ahahahahaha!"

"What the hell is so funny?" Espio asked.

Mouse was more than curious. "Yeah, what?"

Vector was on the floor, rolling with laughter. "Oh God, I can't…I can't breathe! HahahaHAHAHAAAAA!"

The chameleon and raccoon peered into the van. Mouse snickered and covered his mouth, trying his best to hold it in. Espio simply gave a small grin. What was so funny?

The snoozing Charmy was lying on his back with his feet and hands perched straight up. He was barking, panting, and pawing at the air. The bee's tongue flopped out of his mouth, drooling rather profusely.

"Woof! Woof woof! Woof! Awoooo!"

Espio certainly looked puzzled. "He's dreaming…that he's a dog? Cute…I guess."

"Grrrr! Woof! Woof!"

"Hope he doesn't piss all over the seat!" Vector laughed.

Mouse's eyes shot open. "He better not!"

"Heh heh! I don't know man…Charms has wet the bed a lot lately. I'd watch him."

"I wouldn't laugh if I were you. If he pees on MY seat, I'm rubbing YOUR nose in it!"

"You wouldn't."

"I would."

"Looks like he's chasing a cat." Espio said.

Mouse nodded. "Yeah, he certainly does. Well guys, I'd really like to stay, but it looks like we'll have to go our separate ways here."

Vector stopped his guffawing, took a deep breath, and wiped away a tear. "Aww…you're leaving us, Mousie? You're no fun."

"Sorry. If Gustave sees me here with you guys, me and my family will be in danger. Besides, I should be getting home. They're probably worried sick about me."

"Fair enough. Thanks for everything man. Really. We owe you a lot."

"Bah. All I did was plan. You did the hard work."

Vector scratched his nose. "Hey Espy. You think I should wake Charms up?"

"Wouldn't be a bad idea."

"Awright."

Vector loomed over Charmy and gently shook his shoulders.

"Yo Charms. Wake up. We're here."

The bee grumbled something unintelligible and shifted to the side. Vector gently shook him again.

"Charms. Wake up dude. Charms. Charms!"

Charmy slightly opened his eyes and looked at the reptile hovering above him. Again he mumbled and went right back to snoozing.

Vector shrugged. "Looks like he doesn't want to be disturbed."

"Want me to take him home?" Mouse offered.

"Nah man, we couldn't make you…"

"It's no problem at all. Really."

"Are you sure?" Espio questioned.

"I'm sure. Station Square is pretty dangerous outside at night. It's no place for a sleeping child. Where does he live? I'll take him there."

"Whoooa. Hold on. Hold on a sec." Vector interrupted, and then whispered to Espio. "Are you sure you wanna entrust Charms to this guy? We don't know him THAT well."

"He's led us to the city's most notorious crime boss. Not to mention he's treated us to brunch and gave us money."

"That's why I don't feel right with this guy. Not that I don't appreciate it or anything, I do, but he's just too…nice."

"I understand, but look at it this way. If he really wanted to cause us harm, he has had plenty of chances to do it. I had my doubts as well but…he's earned my trust."

"I hope you know what you're doing…"

"It'll be fine."

"You guys talkin' about me? Think I'm gonna double-cross ya, huh?" Mouse teased.

"Well...it's not that…it's just…uhh…well…you know…heh…" Vector stammered.

"Don't worry about it. I don't blame you. We haven't known each other that long after all. It's fine. If you don't want me to take Charmy home, it's no problem."

"Oh no, Mr. Mouse. We trust you. RIGHT VECTOR?" Espio asked with a glaring eye.

Vector had a delayed reaction before nodding his head. "Oh! Y…yeah! We do. It's cool man, it's cool."

"You guys sure?"

"We're sure."

"Positive?"

"Yeah. Charmy's address is 1479 Armsworth Street. Do you know where that is?"

"Yup. About six blocks east of the Chaotix Agency."

The ninja was impressed. "Wow…how did you know that?"

"Well, when you work for one of the top criminal empires of the world, knowing the territory is pretty manditory."

"I see…"

"Don't worry; those days are loooong behind me. At any rate, I'll leave you with Gustave. Good luck. Try not to beat his butt too badly eh?"

Vector scoffed. "Heh. We'll see. I can't promise anything."

"I knew you'd say something like that."

Mouse returned to the van and leapt in the driver's seat. Charmy still slept peacefully in the back. The raccoon paused for a moment and sighed, and then started the engine. He backed out of the warehouse and then stopped for one last look at the duo.

"I'll see to it that Charmy is home safely."

"Are we gonna see you again?" Espio asked.

"Maybe. Maybe not. If I want to see you, I'll see you."

"Yo Mousie!"

"Yes Vector?"

"What's your real name anyways?"

Mouse simply laughed before punching the gas and driving off into the night. The brake lights quickly shrunk from his view.

"Heh. Ass." The crocodile muttered with a chuckle.

Espio and Vector didn't realize how eerily serene this place was at night. Water quietly splashed onto the docks. A low hum emanated from the street lamps. Gustave was still knocked out, bound to the chair.

The crocodile fetched a bucket and walked outside.

"Where're you going?"

"I'm gonna wake our special guest up. I'll be back."

20 minutes earlier…

Ray lay in his bed with the lights on and metal blaring from his stereo. Naturally, he wasn't in the happiest of moods. The raccoons took back the briefcase from under his nose; he lost a fight against his new rival Espio, Sonic was dead, and Mighty still remained an unknown factor.

He picked up the portrait of himself, Mighty, and Sonic and stared at it for the third time today. Memories began to flood. Nostalgia ovewhelmed him. That familiar hurtful lump formed in his throat again. As much as he wanted to break down into tears, he didn't. He was taught to be stronger than that…thanks to a certain somebody.

"He got lucky." Ray fumed to himself, referring to Espio. "It won't happen again."

The squirrel's cell phone vibrated and he picked up. The caller ID read 'unknown'. No number.

"Hello?"

_"Is this Ray?"_

Ray couldn't recognize the obviously fabricated voice. A vocoder kept its identity secret. He couldn't tell if it was male or female.

"Who wants to know?"

_"There is something urgent that needs to be brought to your attention."_

"Who is this? What's going on?"

_"Who I am isn't important. Did you hear about the Chaotix Agency that burned to the ground last night?"_

"Yeah, I heard."

_"Come to the 76th Street Mall, in the food court. There will be an envelope stuck under one of the tables, third row from the north, second from the west. What you see in the envelope will blow the Sonic the Hedgehog murder mystery wide open."_

"Why are you telling ME this? Why don't you just go to the police?"

No response. Though you got to admit, that was a good question.

"Say something!"

_"Just get to the mall. You need to see this."_

"Alright. Fine. I'll be there soon."

Ray turned off the phone and his mind instantly filled with questions. Who was that? And why did the person hide its identity? What was in the envelope? And could it reveal who killed Sonic? What if it was all a trap? Everything about that phone call screamed suspicious.

This couldn't be ignored no matter how you slice it. A potentially case-ending clue could be in his grasp, and this was the best and only lead he got. He jumped out of bed, put on his shoes and leather jacket, and went out the door.

Despite being after eight o'clock at night, the 74th Street Mall was still as packed as ever. Hundreds of citizens browsed and shopped the various video stores, gaming boutiques, clothing outlets, shoe emporiums, and other places of business that spanned the two floors.

Ray walked through the hustle and bustle at a casual pace. No need to grab any extra attention, though he exchanged looks with a couple of passing females. It wasn't long before he reached the food court, which wasn't nearly as busy as the rest of the mall. That was a good thing. The squirrel faced to the north, where Joey's Pizzeria and The Great Steak House entered his sight.

"Let's see. He said the third row from the north, and then second from the west…there."

He strolled to his target, a small table for two people. Luckily it was empty. Before Ray reached for the envelope, he looked around the food court once more. He felt a slight shiver crawl up his back, like he was being watched, like somebody was monitoring his every move. Ray didn't spot anything suspicious, though he still felt uneasy. He lowered his arm and nabbed the envelope.

The squirrel sat down and opened it up. Several photographs were inside, a small stack. He skimmed through the pictures one by one. At first he couldn't recognize where they were taken at, but figured it out upon a second run through.

"Ahh…this is the Chaotix Agency. It's still standing…so this must be before the explosion…"

In the first few photos, he noticed a figure dressed in a trench coat and derby hat. Body and face were completely covered. In the next set, the stranger went up the steps to the door. The person dug into its pocket, pulled out either some kind of key or lockpick. He or she got inside with no trouble it seemed. In the third set, the figure left the building and went back down the street. Then in the last couple of photos, the agency was in flames.

A stumped Ray scratched his head. "Okayyy…so what? How does this blow the mystery wide open? This guy was the last one in the building before it blew, so he or she most likely did it. But I still don't know who it is. Guy's covered up."

The squirrel stopped. There was that shiver up his spine again. That feeling…that he was being watched. Observed. Ray scanned the lively crowd, eyes swept the vicinity. Nothing.

"Somebody's gotta be watching me…" he muttered.

Ray looked through the photographs again. Nothing new. Mystery guy goes in building using a lockpick/key, comes back out and leaves, place becomes an inferno.

The squirrel decided to focus closely on the next go-round. His eyes locked on the smallest details from picture to picture. Still, there was a lack of incriminating evidence.

That is, until one picture had caught his undivided attention. It was the picture of the stranger leaving the building. There was a face, though he could barely make it out. The camera's flash had illuminated it for a split second, but it was too far away to be identified.

"Hmm…let me see if…"

Ray put the pictures in the leather jacket's front pocket and left the food court. He had an idea of how to get a better look at the face. Again, the squirrel was tempted to look over his shoulder for any pair of prying eyes, but he remained focused at the task at hand. A brisk walk had led him back out into the cool autumn night.

Ray had a right to be overly suspicious; for someone WAS watching him…

As soon as he got home he made a beeline to the living room cabinet. He dug through the messy drawers like a mole on crack, and found what he was looking for. A simple yet effective tool, a magnifying glass.

He set the picture on the coffee table and used it right away, right on the face. You could feel the tension in the next silent seconds that followed. But…nothing turned up.

"Tch…still can't see anything. I'll take this to Chief Abrams. He can help."

He dropped the magnifying glass onto the coffee table, causing a small crack. Ray immediately placed the picture back in his pocket and left the house in a hurry. The Station Square Police Department, 17th Precinct was his destination.

"GAH!"

Gustave was rudely awakened with a bucket of cold water, fresh from the docks. The raccoon looked like a miserable drowned rat. Amidst the confusion and haziness swirling in his head, he tried to get a bearing on his location. Gustave tried to get up from his seat, but he wasn't going anywhere.

"What…what is this? Where am I? What…what's going on here?"

"Mornin' Sleeping Beauty."

Vector stood right in front of him, and he had a simply delicious grin on his face. Simply. Delicious. A grin like that could only mean trouble. Espio stood back by the door; he had an equally amusing smile himself.

Gustave's tail shot up like a spike. He recognized them right away. "YOU! You're those…damned Chaotix!"

The crocodile winked. "The one and only, bitch."

He tried to struggle out of his chair again. No use.

"Don't strain yourself. You're staying right here, buddy."

"Grrr…who the hell do you little punks think you are? You think you can treat me like this? I have my rights! Do you know who I am? Huh? Do you know who I am? I'm Gustave Marciano! I'll sue you for every penny you have! Where's my lawyer? Someone get my lawyer!"

"Pleaaaase. We're already know who you are, Mr. Big Bad Boss of Noah. You're not special. You're not any different from the other lowlife scum out there. You're just a thug in a suit. Besides, there's no one else here, barf boy. I'd save my strength if I were you."

Gustave sneered. "…Why?"

"This is an interrogation, Mr. Marciano. You're playing by our rules now. And if you cooperate, we'll put in a good word for you and have your jail sentence reduced."

The raccoon laughed out loud. "Jail? JAIL? Ha! What a ridiculous notion! You got nothin' on me! I'm not tellin' you a damn thing!"

"On the contrary, we have enough evidence on you that you'll be in the slammer for ten years, at the very least. That whole Pacoli's Restaurant episode? We got all that recorded."

Gustave became silent all of a sudden. Looks like Vector got his checkmate.

"Thought so. Now, if you just answer my questions, it'll make it that much easier on you."

"And what if I don't?"

"Oh trust me; I got ways of making tough guys talk. Though calling you a tough guy would be giving you too much credit."

The crime boss was silent again.

"Good, I think we can begin. Now, first question. Were you responsible for the destruction of the Chaotix Agency?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Playing dumb already, are we?"

"I'm not playing dumb. I don't know what you're talking about."

"You didn't send any of your little henchmen to burn the place down?"

"No. I did not. I don't give a damn about your little agency."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure you green idiot!"

"Alright, alright. I'll believe you…for now. But I bet you WERE responsible for trying to get the Chaotix killed, weren't ya?"

"…"

"What?"

"…"

"I can't hear you."

"…Possibly."

"Mmm hmm. That attack on the record store was real cute. You almost had me. And now why would you want to get some detectives killed all of a sudden? We had absolutely no interest in you. We didn't even know about Noah until last night. Would you mind telling me why you want us axed?"

"…"

"I bet I know why. You were afraid that we would find out about you sooner or later, that you somehow have a connection with a certain murder that just happened not too long ago..."

Gustave took a big sigh and looked to the side. He wondered how much the Chaotix knew about him and his involvement with Sonic's death. Needless to say, he was more than a tad worried.

Vector sensed it, and decided on a suitable follow-up question.

"Have you heard about Sonic the Hedgehog's murder?"

"Of course I have you dolt! Who hasn't?"

"The death of a beloved hero. A legend. It was pretty sad, wasn't it?"

"Eh."

"Eh?"

"The goody two-shoes was better off dead. Bastard deserved everything he had coming."

Vector wanted to punch him for that little comment, but he restrained himself.

"Have you heard of a song called 'I Say a Little Prayer for You'?"

Gustave's head tilted to the side. "What? I don't know. Why do you ask that?"

Espio crossed his arms and closed his eyes. The ninja knew he had heard the song before, but from where? Ever since he heard it at Amy's apartment it had crossed his mind time and again. He knew the lyrics. He knew the melody. Why can't he remember?

"When Sonic's body was discovered in an apartment, a CD with that song was playing in the stereo." Vector replied.

"Pointless calling card if you ask me."

"And you don't know anything about that? About why that song was playing?"

"Tch. Hell if I know."

"…Alright. Okay, enough with the warm-up. It's time for the million dollar question."

Both Espio and Gustave could predict what that would be. The raccoon saw this coming, and he knew what he had to do.

Vector bent down and looked him right in the eye. The raccoon turned his head. He didn't want to meet the big crocodile's piercing gaze.

"Gustave Marciano, do you know who killed Sonic the Hedgehog?"

He continued to look away, and kept his mouth shut.

"I will ask again. Do you know who killed Sonic the Hedgehog?"

He remained quiet. His eyes focused on the ground. His heartbeat quickened.

"I'm talking to you, asshole. Answer the question."

Gustave still stared at the ground. Not moving. Not talking.

"Maybe you don't understand English. Shall I speak in Stupidese instead? You look like the type of person that would understand that."

"…I don't know..."

"You are lying your ass off. I could tell right away. You're not even looking at me."

"Fine." The raccoon leaned forward with a stern face, meeting eye to eye with Vector. "I. Don't . Know. Who. Killed. Sonic."

"You. Are. A. Terrible. Liar."

Gustave huffed. "Ask me all you want. I don't know who killed Sonic."

"Do you like music, Mr. Marciano?"

The Don was caught off guard with that subject change. "Yes…I do."

"Any genre in particular?"

"Classical music is the only genre worth listening to."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

Vector did something that was an absolute rarity. This was a once in a blue moon event that even had Espio doing a double-take. The crocodile took his off his mp3 player and headphones.

Gustave squirmed a bit, getting nervous. "W…What are you doing?"

"I'm a huge fan of the rock and hip-hop genres myself. So much raw emotion and infectious rhythms, it flows through my veins. It's in my blood. I love it. Here, Mr. Marciano, have a listen for yourself…"

Vector ever so gently placed his headphones on a squirming Gustave's ears. His head was instantly filled with the sounds of ROCK.

"Ugh! What IS this? What is this trash?"

"Hey, watch your tongue bucko. This is one of the greatest bands to ever walk the earth, Def Zepplin."

"I don't care who it is! This is pure garbage! Where's the sophistication? Where's the subtlety? It sounds like a bunch of animals screaming!"

Vector snickered and increased the volume ever so slightly. To 75 percent.

"Hey! HEY! What are you doing? Stop it!"

"Who killed Sonic the Hedgehog?"

"Go to hell!"

He raised the volume again. To 85 percent. An ungodly blast of guitar and drums rocked Gustave's senses. He was kicking and screaming almost as loud as the band.

"UGHHHHH! CEASE THIS INFERNAL RACKET DAMN YOU!"

"WHO KILLED SONIC THE HEDGEHOG?"

Gustave spit right in Vector's face, which wasn't very nice to say the least. The crocodile was tempted to knock his teeth out, but he just simply smiled and brushed it off. He raised the volume to 95 percent.

"GRAGGGGGGHHHHHHH! THIS IS CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT! STOP IT! STOP IIIIIIIT!"

"I'LL ASK AGAIN. WHO KILLED SONIC THE HEDGEHOG?"

Gustave was furious and tried to repeatedly kick Vector with flailing legs, but fell just short. The rather amused reptile raised the volume to its maximum level. 100 percent baby.

"URRRGGHHHHHH! I'LL KILL YOU! I SWEAR TO GOD I'LL KILL YOU!"

For the next twelve minutes, an unrelenting audio assault pummeled the raccoon's eardrums. Espio could clearly hear the lyrics from across the warehouse. At this rate, Gustave would be deaf by dawn.

"ARE YOU READY TO TALK? WE COULD DO THIS ALL NIGHT!"

"OKAY! OKAY!"

"WHAT?"

"I'LL TALK! OKAY? I'LL TALK!"

"HUH?"

"I SAID I'LL TALK YOU GREEN MORON!"

"ARE YOU SUUUUURE?"

"YES DAMN IT! I'LL TALK! I'LL TALK! I'LL TAAAAAAALK! JUST TURN IT OFF!"

Vector happily lowered the volume to zero. Gustave slumped down in much-needed relief. His ears were still ringing.

"NOW FESS UP, PUNK! WHO KILLED SONIC?"

"ALRIGHT! I'll tell you… I'll tell you…just…just…keep that...disgusting noise out of my head."

"Fine. Now tell us."

Gustave closed his eyes and took a deep sigh, Espio and Vector listened intently. This was it, they thought. The truth will be revealed. The raccoon opened his eyes and paused…then he spit right in Vector's face again.

"There's your answer you twit!"

"What?"

"I'll never talk! Never! NEVER!"

Vector instantly snapped. In a fit of blind rage he tackled Marciano to the ground and punched him in the face.

Gustave simply chuckled at him. "That all you got?"

The crocodile threw another punch right in his face, and the Don simply laughed out loud.

"HA! You've getting nothing, boy! Nothing!"

Vector reeled back for another punch. "You won't be laughing when I knock your teeth out!"

"VECTOR, STOP!"

Espio rushed in and tried to pull his friend off of the raccoon, but he wouldn't budge.

"Let go of me, man! This is MY interrogation!"

Vector thrust forth and gave Gustave a nasty headbutt, slamming his skull to the ground.

The raccoon wore a jittery smile, blood trickled from his nose. "Beat me up…all you want. Heh…heh. Torture me all you want. I won't…talk. You Chaotix make me laugh…a bunch of pathetic has-beens clinging desperately to be relevant. You are trash, and nothing more."

Vector's eyes burned with anger, and threw another punch square in the jaw.

"You peasants…aren't fit to shine my shoes. You were born trash, and you will die trash."

Vector clocked him hard in the jaw once more.

"Trash, trash, trash, trash, trash, trash, TRASH!"

The crocodile threw two more hard punches straight into Gustave's mouth.

"VECTOR, THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Espio held back his friend's raised fist. Gustave laughed even more, blood continued to drip from his nose and now his mouth. He spit some of the red fluid onto the concrete.

"Vector, he's not going to talk. And if you keep this up, he won't be able to."

"Screw that! This asshole knows who killed Sonic and we got him right where we want him!"

"I know Vector, I know…but beating him to a bloody pulp won't give us the answers."

"I don't know about that…I'm thinking a couple of black eyes ought to change his tune…"

"Vector. Don't. He's had enough."

"Relax, I'm done with him. So what now, then? What do we do with him?"

"Turn him in to the authorities. We still got the evidence that'll land him some jail time. Besides, there'll be other leads."

Vector calmed a bit and stood back up. "I guess. Damn it! I was so sure we'd have this wrapped up."

In central Station Square, on the corner of Grand and Charles Avenue, a crowd of onlookers had gathered. A mixture of shock, sadness, and curiosity were spread among their faces. Tidbits of rumors and speculation were exchanged between the citizens. They couldn't believe what they were witnessing, what they were seeing.

What were they watching exactly?

There was a hostage situation right in the center of the street. A victim was being held at gunpoint. Several police cars had the three-way intersection surrounded. Flashes of red and blue lit up the area. Seven police officers armed with 9mm pistols were aimed straight at the criminal. Ray was there as well, assisting the police. Chief Abrams was at the frontline with megaphone in hand.

"PUT THE GUN DOWN, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO END THIS WAY."

"No, I won't."

"WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS. OKAY? NO HARM WILL COME TO YOU. JUST PUT DOWN THE WEAPON."

"I cannot do that."

Negotiation proved useless thus far. Neither side would budge. Although the entire ordeal had started a mere twenty minutes ago, it felt much longer than that.

The victim was Mouse. He stood absolutely still, absolute fear on his face. Behind him was a mysterious person, dressed in a black biker suit, gloves and motorcycle helmet. The tinted visor covered its face. A vocoder kept the voice disguised. Gender, age, and race were nigh impossible to determine. This stranger pointed a Desert Eagle right at his back.

"IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO PUT AN END TO THIS?" Abrams asked.

"Anything…anything…Yes, as a matter of fact, I do."

"NAME THEM."

The enigma continued to press the gun against Mouse. "I want five million dollars in unmarked bills and a private jet waiting for me at Weaver Airport. You have two hours. If my demands are not met, this raccoon dies."

"You're outta your damn mind!" Ray shouted.

The stranger pointed the gun straight at Mouse's head. "Do not test me, squirrel."

"Ray, shut up!" Abrams warned.

The squirrel rolled his eyes.

"Alright, we got it. We'll have everything ready in two hours."

"Good."

"Are you sure about this, Chief?" Officer Brady asked.

"We don't have much choice. The hostage's life is at stake here."

Ray crossed his arms, beginning to feel confident. "I can take this idiot down…"

"Don't even think about it. It's too risky."

"C'mon Chief. Let me handle this. That punk won't even see it coming."

"Absolutely not. Ray, just stand by. We'll have something figured out by then."

_**Chapter 8 is next…**_


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 – Angels and Devils**

_Well, that was a disappointment. Despite Vector's aggressive negotiation tactics, Gustave managed to keep a lid on the identity of Sonic's murderer. Vector and myself took a taxi, en route to the 17th Precinct Police Station. Gustave was with us. We're going to turn him in to the authorities. The city's most notorious crime boss would soon face judgment. He was quiet during the trip so far. Vector hadn't said a word; he looked upset. And to tell you the truth, I was feeling a tad uneasy myself… _

It began to rain. Huge thunderclouds had blanketed the already darkened sky. The raindrops poured onto Station Square without warning, soaking the unprepared citizens. A rumble of thunder had many scattering indoors. Espio, Vector, Gustave, and the taxi driver could hear the rain drumming against the roof, casting a hint of uncertain doom upon all of them. Something big was about to happen. They could feel it.

Espio glanced over. "Are you okay, Vector? You haven't said anything since we got in the taxi."

Vector stared out the window. He didn't answer. The crocodile was too absorbed in his thinking.

"Vector, you okay? Vector?"

He still didn't reply.

"Vector. VECTOR!"

"Huh? Wha…what? What is it Espy?"

A beaten, but smiling Gustave stared straight ahead, ignoring the detectives on either side of him.

"You haven't said anything since we got in the taxi. Are you alright?"

"Yeah…"

"Are you sure?"

"I said 'Yeah'. Are you deaf?"

"Are you upset that you couldn't get him to talk?"

"A little bit…I don't know. I don't what to think right now."

Gustave chuckled a bit, but still looked straight ahead.

"You've tried. Don't beat yourself up over it."

"Don't worry. I'm not."

"At any rate." Espio said. "The Precinct shouldn't be too far from here."

Inside the 17th Precinct was chaos. Officers of all ranks swarmed through the hallways in no order whatsoever. The place was alive with chatter and panic. The escalating hostage situation was now airing on the local news. Mouse's van was speeding down the highway, weaving through traffic.

Chief Abrams was at his desk. His seven officers, and Ray, stood before him awaiting further instructions.

The chief cleared his throat. "We've informed WSTX-9 of the situation. Their news chopper should keep us up to date on the suspect's location. Right now they are northbound on Route 41. We cannot afford to lose sight of the suspect or the hostage."

"What's the current situation?" Ray asked.

"As of now, everyone is being evacuated from Weaver Airport. All flights have been cancelled. Several police units are gathering the money from the Viola Federal Reserve Bank. The five million dollars will be accumulated shortly. The private jet is fueled and ready for takeoff."

The squirrel wasn't pleased. "Come on…don't tell me we're actually gonna give that punk all that money and just walk away."

"As long as the suspect has the hostage, we'll have to play by the rules. I don't like it either, but there is a life at stake here."

A rookie officer meekly raised his hand. "Do we have an ID on the hostage?"

"The raccoon? Negative. We couldn't find anything on him."

"Please, please tell me you have another plan besides just giving away the money." Ray grumbled, obviously getting antsy.

"Look, this is how the plan will work. We will transfer the money to the suspect in bags. During that exchange we'll have a sniper arranged at a strategic location at the airport. If and when the opportunity arises, the sniper will take the shot. We want to get this person as bad as you do, Ray. But we have to be patient. We still have an hour and forty minutes until the exchange."

Suddenly, the Precinct's front door flung open, catching the attention of the police force. A handcuffed Gustave was pushed inside. Espio and Vector were right behind him with smug faces.

Ray waved at the crime boss. "S'up, jerkoff."

Abrams recognized him right away. "Well well, Mr. Marciano. It's an honor to grace us with your…presence."

The raccoon refused to speak and avoided eye contact. He was wet and obviously less than thrilled.

"He's been like that the whole trip here." Espio told him. "There's some good news and bad news. Bad news is that Vector interrogated him, but Gustave wouldn't talk."

Espio handed the Chief a small voice recorder.

"Good news is that we've got him for something else. The interrogation as well as a very interesting conversation at Pacoli's Restaurant is on here."

"Nice work, Chaotix. It's a shame that you couldn't discover the murderer's identity, but we'll take what we can get. We've been trying to put away Mr. Marciano for a while." Abrams waved at the prosecutors. "Take him into custody. We'll deal with him later."

"Yes Sir!"

Gustave was dragged away with a law enforcer holding each arm. His head hung low. He didn't even try to resist.

"Well, that's one problem put away. Now we've got another."

"What? What do you mean Chief?" Vector asked.

"Didn't you guys hear the news?"

"No. What happened?"

"Well…long story short. A mysterious suspect has taken someone hostage and is demanding five million dollars. He…or she is armed and dangerous. The money is to be delivered at Weaver Airport in two hours."

Both Vector and Espio looked puzzled.

"Mysterious suspect?" the ninja asked.

"The suspect was wearing a black biker outfit with a helmet and visor. The voice is being disguised by some type of vocoding device, so it's difficult to determine an age and gender, or race for that matter."

Espio nodded. "Can you estimate a height or weight?"

"I'd say this person is slightly shorter than Vector, medium size build."

"So I assume you couldn't get a name either?"

"Nope, no name. Until we get one, we've decided to name the suspect, 'Mystere'."

"Mystere…" Vector nodded. "Not bad. I kinda like it."

"Do you think this 'Mystere' could be involved with Sonic's murder?" Espio asked.

"The idea had crossed my mind. It's a possibility."

"Sir!" an officer shouted.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Look at the television, Sir. There's an update on the hostage situation."

The room became quiet. Everyone's eyes instantly glued to the news special report.  
_  
"This is ongoing coverage of the hostage situation that occurred on the corner of Grand and Charles Avenue. We're here in the Eye-in-the-Sky news chopper following the van you see here. It is currently heading northbound on Route 7. The kidnapper has taken the hostage, a raccoon, at gunpoint and is forcing him to drive to Weaver Airport. Once there, five million dollars will be given to this criminal as part of the demand. Hopefully, a peaceful resolution will come of this. We'll keep you up to date on the latest details."_

Vector pointed at the screen. "That's Mouse's van!"

"And a raccoon is in there. Mouse must be the hostage…" Espio added.

Abrams looked puzzled. "Who the heck is Mouse?"

"Oh, err…" Vector scratched his head. "He's a friend of ours. He helped us catch Gustave, and has been a great help in this murder case."

"Is that right? Well, good. But Mouse isn't his real name, is it?"

"Nah. It's an alias. He wants to keep his identity secret."

"Why?"

"Protection."

"Protection from who?"

"Gustave, he is a crime boss after all."

"Are Mouse and Gustave related in any way?"

"Related?"

"You know. Are they blood-related? Are they related professionally? Anything?"

"Am I being interrogated? You sure like to ask a lot of questions."

"I just find it strange that you're friends with somebody who won't even give you his real name. That's all. But if he did help you in this case, then I guess that's all that matters."

"Sir!" an officer directed at the television. "Another special report!"

_"There has been another development in the hostage situation. The van has taken Exit 32 off Route 7 and is heading westbound, away from the destination of Weaver Airport. It is unclear at this point what the criminal's plan of action is, but we are hoping for the well-being of the hostage."_

"Where the heck are they going?" Espio asked.

Vector looked confused. "Maybe it's a shortcut?"

"No. From their position, continuing north on 7 is the fastest way to the airport."

Ray rubbed his chin and stared at the floor, seemingly deep in thought. "Hmmm…"

Abrams took notice. "You know something, Ray?"

"Hmm? Nothing. Just thinking..."

"Come on now. You can't fool me. Do you know something? Do you know where Mystere is going?"

"It's just a hunch, but he or she may be headed for Gustave Marciano's mansion. It's in the direction the van's going."

Vector's mouth gaped open, as well as several others. "Marciano's mansion? What for?"

"It's just a hunch, I said. But if this stranger was going there, I wouldn't know what for. Unless…"

"Unless what?"

"Crap…I forgot about that…"

"Forgot about what? SPIT IT OUT ALREADY!"

"The briefcase."

Espio suddenly remembered it, the briefcase that he discovered under Ray's bed not too long ago. The one he tried to unlock but failed. "The briefcase…the one I found in your house?"

"Yes, that one you nosy prick. The one I had before Marciano's flunkies took it back."

"It had an eight digit lock. What was inside it that was so important?"

"Money? Jewels?" Vector asked.

Ray shook his head. "No. Something far more dangerous. I should've turned the damn thing in to the police when I had the chance. If that kidnapper gets a hold of it…"

Meanwhile…

"Stop here."

Mouse pressed the brake and the van came to a complete stop. With a gun to his head, he didn't have any choice. Their current location? About two hundred feet behind Marciano's mansion, parked underneath a thicket of trees.

The raccoon swallowed a lump in his throat. Mouse simply stared at the enigmatic Mystere, remaining silent.

"Stay here. I will return."

The suspect leapt up and left the van without another word. The absolutely deadpan look on Mouse's face told the story.

Mystere stretched out in the cool and rainy night, Desert Eagle in hand. No emotion. No feeling.

There was the home in its sights. A ten-foot brick wall surrounded the perimeter. Mystere scaled up and stood on it with ease. It was a huge two-story house, all windows were lit. There was a spacious yard, and a fountain stood in the courtyard. Lightning crackled and thunder boomed, but it didn't flinch.

Mystere spotted two guards by the front gate. They weren't important. There was a large balcony on the west of the side of the house. That's the way in. Using its almost unnatural agility, it climbed up to it easily. Solid-oak double-doors blocked progress. The stranger wasn't planning on being sneaky or subtle here. The lock was shot off and the door was kicked open. It's time.

A raccoon noticed him right away from the other end of the hall. "HEY YOU!"

Mystere fired off a round and hit the target's chest. The raccoon screamed as he reeled back. The suspect shot another round right in the neck. Blood spurted out as he fell to the floor. Mystere just stood there, motionless. Cold.

"Hmm..."

"WHAT THE HELL? GET HIM!"

An alarm sounded. The stranger entered the main hall at the top of a grand staircase. Two more raccoons came running up, one on each side. They were quick in firing their pistols, but Mystere was even quicker. The suspect dashed and stood behind one raccoon, causing the other to accidentally shoot him. While he was stunned at what he did, Mystere leapt up and popped two in the chest.

The enigma casually walked down the stairs and reached the first floor.

Four more armed raccoons scrambled and appeared before Mystere, two from the west and two from the east. There was a pair of assault rifles and shotguns between them.

"So you're the intruder. You here alone?"

"Yes."

"Who are you?"

"That is none of your concern."

"You got a lot of balls comin' in here. What do ya want?"

" I want Angel. Where is it?"

"Heh. Think we're gonna tell you?"

The four raccoons cocked their weapons and took aim at the mysterious guest.

"You're gonna pay for what you just did. You're not leavin' here alive."

Mystere ducked down low to avoid the initial hail of bullets, and darted left and right to avoid the second wave of shots. The stranger took quick aim and unloaded a few rounds. One was hit in the stomach and flopped to the carpet.

Mystere took cover behind the staircase to reload. Three raccoons continued to fire, eating away the wood and carpet at a relentless pace. Chunks of debris shot up like popcorn. The stranger waited until they stopped firing before peeking up and took aim. Two more shots were fired. One raccoon's right leg was hit. He was down but not out. Two were still left standing.

"KILL THAT BASTARD ALREADY!"

But they had no chance. Mystere literally ran circles around them, and death came in spades. It didn't take long to down the two henchmen, one in the head, the other in the chest.

Mystere had exceptional aiming. It was almost scary how efficient this cold, calculating killer was. The guest looked around at all the bodies, blood, and shells that strewn the room. It felt no happiness, no sadness, no excitement, and no remorse. Nothing. Again, cold.

The wounded raccoon tried to crawl away, but didn't get far. He yelped in agony as Mystere stepped on his ankle.

"Where is it?"

"Tch…!" the raccoon grunted.

"Where is Angel?"

"I…I…don't know what you're talking about…"

Mystere pulled the trigger and blasted his left kneecap, causing the raccoon to scream in pain.

"GRRAAAHHHHHHHH!"

The gunner pressed the barrel right against his face. "Where is it?"

"P…please! Don't shoot! It's…it's in Gustave's bedroom…"

"Where in Gustave's bedroom?"

"It's…it's in the safe…the combination is 3, 18, 28…"

"Thank you."

Mystere pistol whipped him cold. The Desert Eagle was out of ammo, so it grabbed a shotgun off the floor. The bedroom was the next stop. But before arriving there, two guards from the front gate burst through the door. Assault rifles in hand.

Mystere opened fire. One was caught in the breadbasket and flew back about five feet. Poor guy didn't get a chance to turn around. The other guard let loose with a stream of gunfire, forcing Mystere to retreat to Marciano's bedroom. The raccoon gave chase and entered. He looked left and right, but couldn't spot the intruder.

"Goodbye."

The guard looked up, only to get his face rearranged at point blank. With a geyser of blood he fell limp. Mystere was hiding above the door.

"Sigh…"

At the back of Gustave's bedroom was the safe, a rather large one. The stranger didn't waste any time. With a quick combination it was cracked.

Mystere still remained nonchalant as the slick briefcase was pulled out. This was it. There was that eight-digit lock that prevented Espio from entry, but Mystere found a more efficient solution. The briefcase was opened with a shotgun blast. And there it was.

"Angel…"

Mystere gazed upon the object…

Back at the station, Espio, Vector, Ray, Chief Abrams, and the rest of the police squad continued to watch the special report. They were on the edge of their seats. The news chopper was actually hovering above Marciano's mansion, Mystere's current location.

_"It has been nearly twenty minutes since the suspect has entered the Marciano residence. We are unsure of what is going on inside. The two gate guards have run into the house a few minutes ago, but other than that there's been nothing…"_

Ray watched intently, hands together as if in prayer. "I can only hope that the criminal hasn't found it…"

"Mystere…what the hell…" Vector muttered.

_"Wait! We have a visual confirmation! The suspect has come out of the front door. Now what is it doing? Wait…hold on. I'm seeing some sort of blue light. Wait a second…it's getting brighter and brighter… What does this suspect have? What is going on?"_

Chief Abrams sprang up from his seat, as well as several others. The blue light appeared onscreen, growing ever larger. The mansion's entire courtyard was nearly bathed in its ominous glow.

"What the…!" both Espio and Vector yelled.

Ray jumped from his seat and slammed his hands on the desk. "OH MY GOD MYSTERE'S GOT IT! MYSTERE'S GOT THE WEAPON!"

"Weapon? What weapon?" Espio asked.

Bushy-tailed Ray didn't answer. His eyes and ears were stuck to the special report.

_"The entire residence appears to have been engulfed in some sort of blue light. It's faint…but I think I hear some kind of hum…and it's getting louder…"_

"GET OUT OF THERE YOU IDIOTS!" Ray shouted.

The mysterious energy has been building at an alarming rate. The low hum gradually rose to a high-pitched whine. The blue glow still grew at a frightening pace; now mere yards from the occupants of the helicopter.

_"Pilot! Get us out of here! GO! NOW!"_

The chopper wasn't exactly agile; it only managed to turn 45 degrees before Mystere released the charge with a thundering boom. The last thing they saw was a white-hot light…

Screams were heard just before the television lost the signal, now there was nothing but snow. The broadcast switched to two news anchors in the studio. Their faces slumped into somber.

_"We seem to have…lost contact with our news chopper. We don't know what exactly happened, but I fear it is for the worst. We'll keep you up to date on the hostage situation as best we can…"_

For the next few moments, Chief Abrams and everyone else were stunned silent.

"What the hell…was THAT? Ray, you better tell us RIGHT NOW!" Vector growled.

"The prototype weapon." Ray replied. "Codename: Angel."

"Angel?" Espio asked.

"Yes. A weapon that shouldn't even exist."

"You got some explaining to do."

"It's a long story, so I'll just tell you the important parts. It started not too long ago, a few days before Sonic's murder, when word hit the street that Noah had acquired a secret weapon from an anonymous dealer. I needed some more information on this tidbit, and what better way to get it than to go to the source. Marciano's mansion."

"You went inside Marciano's mansion? How?"

"I was working undercover, posing as a buyer to Noah."

"Hold up." Vector interrupted. "You mean to tell me that you're an undercover cop?"

"Something like that. You could say that I'm a detective, just like you."

Espio eyed him. "…You're kidding."

"I don't kid, lizard boy. While you were working on Sonic's murder case, I was finding info on Noah's acquired weapon. I did a little digging and found out that Gustave kept the weapon in a briefcase. It took me a few days but I managed to sneak this briefcase out of his mansion. It didn't take long before they caught on. They pursued me. I was fleeing for my life through the streets. When I finally lost them, I decided to hide the briefcase in my house."

"Under the bed…" Espio added.

"Right."

"How did you manage to crack the lock? I couldn't."

"I asked Tails to help me out. If anyone could open that lock, he could."

"I keep forgetting how smart that kid is." Vector said.

"Anyways, when the briefcase opened, I saw the mother lode. There was the weapon itself, along with the schematics. Angel."

"What is this 'Angel' exactly?" Espio questioned.

"It's a gauntlet that fits over your hand, shaped similar to a dragon's claw. It automatically conforms to the shape and size of your hand. It's no bigger than a bread box, but has an absolutely insane amount of power."

"So it's basically a souped-up glove?"

"Hardly. Take a look at this blueprint. Titanium-tipped claws that can slice through just about anything, several interlocking plates of diamond and corundum render it nearly unbreakable, seamlessly integrated micro CPUs keep the systems running efficiently."

Ray pointed at the lens in the palm's center. "See this? This is one of several weapons built into this thing. It's a neutron cannon, capable of firing a massive particle beam. It can disintegrate just about anything in its path, up to a quarter mile away."

Vector's eyes widened. "A quarter mile? That's crazy! That's like seven blocks!"

"Tell me about it. And that's only ONE of its weapons systems. I couldn't figure out what other functions it had. The schematics didn't reveal everything. The sheer physics of this thing should make it impossible. Yet, we just saw a taste of it on TV. But like I said, it's just a prototype. It's a rough draft, so it's not completely reliable."

"It's still freakin' dangerous though." Vector told him. "I'd hate to see the finished product."

Espio began to ponder. "... I wonder who this anonymous weapons dealer is…"

"While I tried to examine the weapon, Sonic's death hit the news. I decided to put the Angel investigation on hold, and hid the weapon under the bed. I went to the scene of the crime."

"And that's where we met for the first time." Espio smirked. "You were certainly charming."

"Likewise, asshole. Since Sonic was killed, I had nearly forgotten all about the weapon. Then Gustave's flunkies broke into my home and took it back."

Vector huffed. "First Gustave had it, then Ray, then Gustave again, now this Mystere has it. This Angel thing is pretty popular."

Suddenly, the phone rang. Everyone turned to the Chief, who picked up after the first tone.

"Station Square: 17th Precinct Police Department, Chief Abrams speaking."

_"Greeting Mr. Abrams. Just a reminder that you have 75 minutes left until you deliver me the money and my private jet at Weaver Airport."_

"I haven't forgotten."

_"I will give you detailed instructions once you get here. We will meet on the East Runway. And do not try anything, or the hostage will be exterminated. Do you understand?"_

"I got it."

"Who is that?" Espio asked.

"It's our Mystere."

Ray and the officers listened in close.

"Ask if he or she is responsible for Sonic's death." Espio suggested.

"Will do." Chief Abrams complied, and then returned to the phone. "May I ask you a question?"

"_What is it?"_

"Are you responsible for Sonic the Hedgehog's murder?"

"…_Yes. I am responsible."_

Abrams felt a jolt in the pit of his stomach, and hesitated for a moment. "You're serious? You actually killed Sonic?"

"_That,I did."_

The Police Chief confirmed to his peers. "Mystere just admitted to killing Sonic."

"Let me talk to this bastard!" Vector demanded.

"I'll put it on speaker." Abrams said, pushing a button. The room became deathly quiet.

"You killed Sonic? And those people in the news chopper?"

"_For the third time, yes…and yes."_

"Who are you?"

"_Don't concern yourself with trivial matters."_

"Don't want to reveal yourself? That's fine. But you ARE going to pay for killing Sonic!"

"_You are welcome to try."_

"Why did you do this? Why kill him?"

"_Stop wasting my time. Make sure to have my money at Weaver Airport, if you value the hostage's life. Good bye."_

The phone clicked. Mystere hung up.

"Dammit!" Vector said to himself, slamming the phone.

"I'm sorry…" Abrams said.

"It's alright. At least we know who the murderer is."

"I don't know…something seems off." Ray said.

Espio felt the same. "I agree. Something about this Mystere character just doesn't feel right."

"What do you mean, Espy?" Vector asked.

"Mystere just seems…indifferent…to things."

The crocodile looked puzzled. "Indifferent…?"

"Like it doesn't care about what it does…" Ray added.

"I'd have to also agree." Abrams said. "Ever since the hostage situation started, Mystere seemed unusually…distant. I can't really explain it. It's rather odd."

The squirrel shook his head. "I don't like it at all. Not one bit."

The chief cleared his throat and spoke into his two-way radio. "Is the money ready?"

"_Yes Sir. It's already loaded into the armored van. We're waiting right outside the police station."_

"And the private jet?"

"_Fueled up and the pilot is ready to go."_

"Good. Mystere wants to meet on the East Runway. Make sure our sniper is in position."

"_Consider it done."_

"Alright. We'll be out in a few minutes."

"_Yes Sir!"_

Abrams faced his seven officers. "Alright gentlemen, it's an hour long trip to Weaver Airport. There will be three police cars, and the armored van containing the money. Espio, Vector, Ray, and myself will be in one police car. Three of you will be in the armored van, and the remaining four will pair off in the last two cars. We will stay together all the way to Weaver Airport, I will lead the way. Any questions?"

There didn't seem to be any.

"Ray, you will be working with Espio and Vector from now on."

"What? I don't need them! They'll just slow me down."

Espio rolled his eyes. "Yeah, because you did such a GREAT job keeping Angel safe."

Ray grumbled, but the chameleon did have a point.

"Look at the big picture here. We have an anonymous killer with some God-forsaken weapon on the loose in Station Square. All of us, you three included, will need to work together if we're going to make it through this."

The squirrel muttered under his breath.

"If you don't like it, you can quit."

"All right, all right. I'll do it." Ray crossed his arms as he faced Espio. "We'll work together, for now. But once Mystere is dealt with, I want a rematch."

"You STILL blame me for what happened to Mighty? Fine. Whatever. You got a deal."

Espio and Ray shared a firm handshake. You could see the tension between their stares.

"Everyone. LET'S MOVE!"

The brigade of officers and the detective trio stormed out of the precinct. The rain showed no sign of stopping soon. Police cars and the armored van were occupied according to Abrams' instructions. His car was at the front. The money van second, and the last two behind it.

Ray rode shotgun with the Chief. Espio and Vector sat in the back.

"You three ready?"

Vector rubbed his hands together. "Let's roll."

Espio nodded. "I'm ready."

Ray stared at the falling rain. "…Yeah."

Abrams confirmed his comrades were ready as well. Engines roared to life. The next stop would be Weaver Airport.

10:28 pm. It rained harder than ever. Abrams sped up the windshield wipers, it didn't help much. Lightning flashed. The armored van and the police cars followed without a hitch. Abrams and the trio could see the airport off in the distance, toward the west. They were getting close.

"When we meet Mystere..." Abrams told them. "Just stand by. Keep your distance and don't do anything until I tell you to. You do anything rash, and we could have a dead hostage, or worse. Got it?"

Vector and Espio nodded. "Yeah."

"Especially you, Ray. Don't be a hothead. Use some common sense once in a while."

"Yeah , yeah... I hear ya, I hear ya..."

"Our sniper is already in position."

"A sniper…?" Vector asked. "Are you planning on killing Mystere?"

"No. His job is to incapacitate the suspect, not kill. He will be using concussive rounds. We will do our best to capture this criminal alive."

"Huh…"

"Mystere will stand before the judge, don't you worry…"

Vector closed his fists. "Oh, I'm not worried. Bastard will get some swift justice."

"Then let's get this operation underway."

Abrams turned onto the exit ramp. They had arrived. Weaver Airport. The terminal was still lit, but it was eerily empty inside. Parking lot was bare. It was like a ghost town. The line of police vehicles made their way past the hangar area, and further back, the runways.

And there was the target.

Abrams stopped the car, and the others followed. He was about fifty feet away from the suspect.

Mystere stood behind the handcuffed Mouse, with the left arm wrapped around his neck. Angel was equipped in its right hand, as expected. A rhythmic blue pulse could be seen from its palm. The private jet sat right behind them.

The Chief spoke into his 2-way. "Do you have a clear shot?"

_"No I don't. Mystere is using the hostage as a shield, and the rain and lightning isn't making it any easier."_

"Alright. Stand by."

Abrams, Espio, Vector, Ray, and the others got out of their vehicles. They made sure to keep their distance. Who knew what was running through Mystere's mind.

"Mouse! Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Espio asked.

"…I'm okay."

Mystere started off with an unusually pleasant welcome.

"Greetings, Mr. Abrams."

"...Hello."

"Have you got my money?"

"Yes, it's in the van."

"No tricks?"

"No tricks..."

" Are you lying to me?"

"No, I'm not..."

"I despise liars, Mr. Abrams."

"I assure you, I am not lying."

Ray's blood was starting to boil. He hunched up and down with his fists clenched. His eyes were locked onto his target. He was like a spring set to uncoil, a stalking lion that's ready to pounce.

"PLEASE say the word, Chief. PLEASE say the word…"

"Quiet Ray… so…are you ready for the exchange?"

Espio interjected. "Surrender peacefully. Please. Let's not do this."

"Be silent chameleon, or I will kill the hostage."

The ninja instantly complied.

"Now... Just have your officers bring the money over to me. One bag at a time. I want to see it for myself before you load it onto the plane."

Abrams looked over at his officers. "Do it. One at a time."

The armored van was opened up and the officers took out the bags, all six of them. The chief nodded and the first officer walked toward Mystere with bag in hand. Easy does it. The stranger kept Mouse close at all times.

"Put the bag on the ground. And back away."

The cop obeyed and Mystere examined the goods. Crisp, clean one-hundred dollar bills in neat bundles. Nothing else.

The stranger stepped back. "Good. Now put it on the plane, and get off."

The first batch of money was loaded and the officer walked back to his comrades. The process repeated with the other five bags. Espio and Vector looked over at Ray, who was clearly getting more agitated by the minute.

Abrams remained calm. "Okay, you got your money. Can you release the hostage?"

Mystere cocked its head to the side like a confused dog. "Release the hostage? Who said anything about releasing the hostage?"

"What?"

"Mouse and I will be departing together."

Vector tried to reason. "C'mon. Let him go. You got what you want. He's got nothing to do with this."

"Be silent, crocodile. Now come along Mouse, it is time to leave. Goodbye everyone."

Mystere turned around and began heading for the jet, the raccoon still in its clutches. Time was running out, and fast. A decision had to be made.

Abrams hurriedly picked up his 2-way. "Do you have a clear shot? You got to hurry. They are about to board the plane."

_"I don't have a shot. Mystere keeps moving, and if I miss I could hit the hostage."_

"Damn…"

"Screw it. I'm goin' for it." Ray said as he started to bolt toward the stranger at blazing speed.

"Ray! Stop!" Espio yelled.

"Ray! Get back here!" Abrams yelled as well.

The squirrel ran up to the unsuspecting Mystere and attempted a roundhouse kick, but some kind of light knocked him flat on his back. He quickly leapt back to his feet. The officers were just as dumbfounded as he was.

"A barrier? That's not good…" Espio muttered.

"What the hell was THAT!" Ray shouted.

"It appears you have found one of Angel's functions. An energy barrier."

Ray growled. "Grrrr….we'll see about that. Vector! Espio! Are you morons just gonna stand there? Help me out here!"

"Oh. So NOW you need us, huh?" Vector smirked.

"No time for jokes, let's help out." Espio said. "We have to stop Mystere."

The enigma stepped further from the plane, now curious to try out its new experimental weapon. Ray, Espio, and Vector marched forth with a purpose, side by side.

"Abrams, officers, you guys get out of here. We'll handle Mystere on our own." Ray ordered. "You're just a liability at this point."

A worried officer looked at Abrams. "What do we do, Chief?"

"Hmm…"

"Chief?"

"…I hate to say it, but he's right. We would just get in the way. We'll leave it up to them. Ray, you guys, be careful."

"We will. Just go."

"Okay officers! It's time to move out!"

At his command, the police brigade evacuated the airport in an orderly manner. While the others were preoccupied, Mouse managed to sneak out of the plane. He looked over at Espio and Vector. He gave a silent nod and thumbs up. They nodded back. The raccoon held his breath and began to run as fast as he could. He didn't have a particular destination in mind, just anywhere but here. Pretty quick runner too, he was haulin' tail.

"Whew…that's a relief." Vector whispered to Espio. "At least Mouse is safe…"

"Yeah…but we still have a bigger problem..."

Ray, Vector, and Espio faced the mysterious one. A battle was looming.

"Spread out." Ray told them. "If it catches us all with that particle beam, we're done for."

The three spread out in a triangle formation surrounding Mystere. The rain was relentless, basically a downpour. Lightning and thunder remained rampant.

"I was going to let you live if you let me get away." Mystere said. "This is your last chance. Back down."

"…No." Espio replied.

"Sigh…as idiotic as ever…"

Vector's eyes closed in on the unknown opponent. "Who the hell is this guy…"

Ray was focused. "You're going down. That's all there is to it."

"I don't know why you are even trying. I am invinicible."

Ray rushed the stranger again with great speed, but that shield kicked the squirrel back once more. Vector threw a thunderous punch towards Mystere's stomach, but the crocodile's fist was repelled.

"GAH! Holy crap that hurts!" Vector shouted as he shook it off.

Angel hummed to life, and now Mystere was on the offensive. While the crocodile was busy hurting, the stranger flew in with a claw swipe that scraped across his chest. Vector screamed even louder as he went down on his back. He winced, putting a hand on the wound. He was bleeding. Claw marks have pierced through his scales.

"VECTOR! Are you okay?" the ninja asked.

"I don't…know…"

Espio attempted a judo chop to Mystere's shoulder. The shock sent him leaping back. Mystere connected with a quick uppercut. The stinging hit sent the chameleon flying before landing on his side. Ray went on full speed with a shoulder tackle. Again, denied with a jolt.

Mystere shook its head. "Sigh…"

The cold, calculating stranger went for another claw swipe. Ray saw it and ducked. He weaved left and right to dodge the next three swipes. Mystere now went on a clawing rampage, but Ray dodged the constant blows. The enigma changed it up with a rising kick from below, and caught the squirrel square in the chin. He was knocked on his back.

Mystere saw an opportunity, and decided to go for a fatal claw thrust to the throat. But an attack from behind had knocked him a few feet away. Wait. Mystere was knocked back? How?

Espio stood by Vector, who held his stomach as he smiled. "Ah ha... Both of us tackling him...heh…"

Even the enigma seemed surprised itself. Sure, the shield may have absorbed some of the blow, but this proved that Mystere's defense wasn't perfect. It was just a prototype after all. They just needed a little more force…

"Ray!" Espio yelled. "We need to attack at the same time. It should break through the shield."

The squirrel rubbed his chin before standing on his feet. "Gotcha."

"You think you're going to win now? Think again."

Mystere jumped on top of the private jet and looked down upon them. The stranger pushed a button on Angel's wrist and its palm began to glow.

The stranger aimed the neutron cannon down toward its targets. "Goodbye."

Ray screamed. "RUN FOR IIIIT!"

The trio split up and ran as fast as they could. Angel revved up as the eerie blue glow reached its limit. With an echoing boom, a massive beam was unleashed, erasing the concrete and below with unrivaled force. It took nearly all of Mystere's strength controlling the beam's direction. Everything it touched…gone.

A bleeding Vector panicked when the laser came toward him. He tried throwing him off by constantly running left and right. He could feel the beam gaining on him. He rolled to the left with only a few feet to spare, and then ducked to avoid a swift decapitation. The intense heat alone was enough to singe his back. Pure adrenaline.

"Yeouch! That one…almost had my name on it..."

Espio played defensively. He camouflaged himself and stood still, only moving if necessary. A chicken move? Maybe. But it kept him safe.

"Hold still, squirrel. Accept your fate."

Mystere aimed the cannon toward Ray, who was running toward the terminal. The beam was right on his tail. He jumped and began to climb the building. He had to move fast, for the laser ate right through the terminal. Collapse was inevitable. The squirrel stayed one step ahead of the crumbling building. He could feel the beam's heat on his fur as he reached the roof.

"Here I come…ready or not!"

Ray jumped and dived down to gain some speed, just seconds before the terminal was leveled. He used the momentum to gain some needed altitude. He pointed his fists forward, aiming straight for Mystere. The stranger continued to track the beam on him, suspecting what he was trying to do. Ray sped forth as fast as he could. He could see the laser coming in from the right. It got hotter and hotter as he closed the distance…

"Rrrraaggghhhhh!"

The flying squirrel screamed his best war cry as he gave Mystere a vicious double punch. The beam had ceased, thankfully. The incredible force and speed sent the stranger spiraling out of control. Mystere flew and landed on the concrete with a thud, seemingly knocked out. A small crack appeared on its helmet's visor. Ray quickly landed and took advantage of the opportunity. The squirrel snatched Angel right from its hand. Mystere was now powerless, for the most part.

"Ugh…damn..." Vector said to himself.

The three immediately gathered in front of the jet.

"Is everyone okay?" Espio asked.

Ray took a moment to catch his breath. "Yeah…I'm fine…"

Vector was wincing. He couldn't stand up straight. The bleeding from the claw marks hasn't stopped. "I think…I need to go to the hospital…damn it…I'm hurt man…"

"Just sit tight." Ray told him as he flipped the cell. "I'll get an ambulance over here in no time…"

"Thanks…"

"I'll check on Mystere. We need to know who it is." Espio said.

The chameleon walked toward the front and there it was, still out like a light. Espio noticed the crack on the helmet. He kneeled down and checked for vital signs. Mystere was alive…perhaps moreso than the ninja thought…

"Idiot."

Espio was startled for a split second and that cost him. The stranger caught him off guard with a kick to the stomach. Ray saw the attack and ran over. He tried to nail Mystere with an axe kick, but the mysterious one effortlessly weaved out of the way. The squirrel was clocked with a nasty hook.

While Espio and Ray were stunned, Mystere made a quick escape. Without another word, it began to dash away into the rainy night.

"Little bastard is getting away…get him Espio!"

The ninja dashed in Mystere's direction, his eyes barely making out a figure in the pouring rain. But it wasn't long before the stranger was out of sight. Espio stopped and looked around, no sign of the suspect. The anonymous threat had vanished.

Espio felt a bit embarrassed upon his return to the group. "Sorry…Mystere escaped. I couldn't keep up. I usually don't let my guard down like this, but…"

"Don't worry…about it." Vector grunted. "At least…we got the money, and the hostage is…safe."

"Yeah, I suppose… but we can't let our guard down, not until this Mystere is brought to justice, whoever it is."

Ray shook his head. "No kidding. The three of us almost got killed."

"Did anyone else get a familiar vibe when we fought Mystere?" Espio asked. "I could've sworn I've met this person before."

"I didn't." the squirrel replied.

"Me neither." Vector added. "I think it's just you."

Espio crossed his arms. "Hmph…at any rate, what are you going to do Ray?"

"I'm going to find out who sold Marciano the Angel prototype. If more weapons like this are coming down the pipeline, then we are in serious trouble."

"Alright. Vector, Charmy, and I will continue the hunt for Mystere. We should exchange contact information just in case we find anything."

"Fine. We'll keep in touch. I'll let you know if something turns up."

"Good."

_**Chapter 9 is next…  
**_


End file.
